Alia kicks as Ortom vows to expose rot, looting in Benue

Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has declared his intention to expose what he calls the "hypocrisy, outright looting of the state’s resources and evils being committed against the people" by his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia. Ortom made this vow during an interactive session with journalists in Makurdi, stating that remaining silent after three years would imply an admission of guilt.

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As from today, I am going to be exposing this government (Alia administration) for its hypocrisy, outright looting of the state’s resources and evils being committed against the people of the state and the ceding of our land to foreigners.

Ortom’s remarks are a direct response to a probe panel’s report that accused his administration of being unable to account for N139.8 billion during his eight-year term. He asserted that Alia’s government is engaged in "pure persecution" and that he needs to defend himself and inform the public about the alleged wrongdoings.

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So many lies have been said against me. After three years, I concluded that if I remained silent, it would amount to admission. So, I need to defend myself and let the world know that what Alia is doing is pure persecution.

The former governor challenged his successor to a public debate to compare their performances based on the resources available to each administration. In a notable shift, Ortom also expressed regret for a past comment where he declared he had "retired Akume politically" after his 2019 re-election. He acknowledged that the remark stemmed from arrogance and that only God determines destinies. He stated he has reconciled with his former leader, George Akume, and intends to work with him for the benefit of Benue State and Nigeria, emphasizing the need for leaders to prioritize state interests over partisan politics.

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During my prayers afterwards, I came to realise that the remark was made out of arrogance because I later acknowledged the fact that only God determines people’s destinies.

Reacting to Ortom's accusations, Governor Alia’s administration, through his Chief Press Secretary Kula Tersoo, stated that the former governor left behind a "heavy debt burden that was questionable." Alia's government denied pursuing a vendetta, explaining that the probe was a necessary step to "unravel the grey areas" discovered in the handover notes. The administration pointed out that Ortom himself had previously constituted a commission of inquiry to probe his predecessor, Senator Gabriel Suswam.

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Handover notes are meant to be studied. When you study them and discover lapses and gaps, you are bound to invite legitimate authorities to help you unravel the grey areas.