The political atmosphere in Benue State has grown highly volatile following a fierce public war of words between the immediate past Governor, Samuel Ortom, and his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, over the management of state resources, outstanding multi-billion naira debts, and alleged poor governance.
Addressing journalists during a media briefing in Makurdi, Ortom openly challenged Governor Alia to a live, transparent public debate where both leaders could present authenticated financial facts and figures regarding the state's true economic posture, dismissing recent probe panels as politically motivated witch-hunts.
Ortom fiercely rejected the findings of a state government commission of inquiry which alleged that approximately ₦139 billion went unaccounted for under his watch, while also refuting claims that he saddled the state with an astronomical debt profile exceeding ₦300 billion.
Turning the tables on the current administration, the former governor alleged that while his eight-year tenure received a total of ₦817 billion, Governor Alia’s administration has quietly raked in an unprecedented ₦1.3 trillion in just three years due to altered federal allocations.
Ortom criticized the current government for only commissioning 10.5 kilometers of roads despite the massive influx of funds, adding that the governor, as a Catholic priest, should focus on unifying the state rather than playing partisan politics.
"I want to challenge the governor to a debate. Let him come clean. Let him come and we discuss these matters openly with facts and figures," Samuel Ortom stated.
"Within three years, over N1.3 trillion has come into Benue State. What has been done with it? Other states are commissioning projects and clearing salary arrears, but here, people are asking questions."
In a swift counter-response, Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Kula, firmly stated that the administration was not pursuing any personal vendetta against its predecessor, emphasizing that reviewing handover notes to unravel financial grey areas is a legitimate statutory duty.
Kula noted that Ortom had repeatedly snubbed invitations to clarify these discrepancies before the commission of inquiry, choosing instead to send legal proxies.
The governor's spokesman maintained that the Alia administration inherited an immense financial mess, including seven months of unpaid salaries for state workers, eleven months for local government staff, and over 76 months of accumulated pension arrears, alongside severe court-ordered garnishee mandates that continue to drain the state's treasury.
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