Ortom accuses Alia of diverting State funds to acquire properties for associates, concubines

Henry Iyorkase, Makurdi

The immediate past Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of allegedly diverting billions of naira in public funds to acquire landed properties in Abuja, his hometown of Ihugh in Vandeikya Local Government Area, and other locations for himself, associates and alleged concubines.

Ortom made the allegations on Tuesday during a press conference at his residence in the George’s quarters Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

The former governor alleged that while huge sums of state funds were being diverted for personal acquisitions, the state continued to suffer developmental setbacks and economic hardship.

He further claimed that Governor Alia was attempting to divert public attention from what he described as the need to account for approximately N1.3 trillion allegedly received by the state government from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and other sources over the last three years.

“As 2027 approaches, it has become necessary to draw the attention of the people to what is happening in Benue State. The governor should tell Benue people how the funds that have accrued to the state in the last three years have been utilised,” Ortom said.

The former governor also accused his successor of being unable to effectively manage his administration and political party, alleging that the governor had resorted to indiscriminately petitioning political opponents to anti-graft agencies.

According to him, such actions were unbecoming of a leader and amounted to political intimidation.

Ortom further faulted the Alia administration over its alleged inability to clear salary arrears, pensions and gratuities inherited from previous administrations.

He lamented that Benue remained among the states where pensioners continued to suffer due to unpaid entitlements.

“Among the 36 states of the federation, Benue pensioners are still languishing because their gratuities and pensions have not been fully settled,” he stated.
The former governor vowed to intensify his criticism of the present administration, saying he would henceforth expose what he termed the “shady deals” of the Alia-led government.
“Beginning today, I will expose the shady deals of this administration. I can no longer remain silent in the face of continuous attacks and character assassination against my person,” he declared.

Ortom also dismissed allegations that he borrowed N300 billion during his tenure as governor, describing the claim as false and an attempt to make him a scapegoat for the challenges facing the state.

“I never borrowed N300 billion from anywhere. Those making such claims are merely trying to shift blame and deceive the people of Benue State,” he said.

The former governor, who remains a prominent leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had urged Nigerians to hold governors accountable for the resources available to them and demand results in terms of development and service delivery.

He also explained that at the end of his eight-year administration, he left behind five months of salary arrears and a N25 billion facility, which he said was linked to his refusal to repeal the state’s anti-open grazing law.

According to him, pressure was mounted on his administration to repeal the law as a condition for accessing certain funds, but he declined.

“I was asked to repeal the anti-open grazing law, but I refused because it was in the best interest of our people. The funds that were withheld were later accessed by the present administration,” Ortom alleged.

Meanwhile the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State Mr Tersoo Kula has debunked the claims by the Ex Governor Samuel Ortom saying his principal is not out against vendetta on 0rtom.

The image maker stated unequivocally when you discovered certain content in the handover which lapses appeared you,re bound to invite an expert for clarification

The Chief press Secretary queried while 0rtom probe his predecessor Gabriel Suswam regime and felt should not be visited similar action stressing he who come equity must clean arguing for sanity to prevailed.

Mr Kula added most of the times during the seating of the Commission of inquiry he was invited to exonerate himself rather choose to sent his counsels and his immediate past media adviser Dr Terver Akase to attend.