Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has accusedseized 23 official vehicles his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, of running the state on “lies, deceit and hypocrisy”, while alleging that the administration seized 23 official vehicles allocated to him after leaving office.
Ortom made the allegations on Tuesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he also criticised the Alia administration over security, local government autonomy, accountability and its handling of state resources.
The former governor alleged that the seizure of the vehicles was part of what he described as a broader campaign of “witch-hunting” against political opponents.
“As I talk to you, after I left office, vehicles that were given to me legitimately by the government, this government went and seized them in a manner that was not befitting. No communication to me was done,” Ortom said.
He said he challenged the action in court and secured a judgment ordering the government to return the 23 vehicles and pay him N5 million.
“I went to court, and we defeated the government, and they were asked to pay me N5 million in addition to returning the 23 vehicles they took away from me, which were legitimately given to me by government,” he said.
Ortom described the episode as evidence of what he considered the administration’s disregard for the rule of law.
“What we are witnessing in the last three years, and some months, is that here is a government that does not believe in the rule of law but believes in witch-hunting and running opponents down,” he alleged.
ORTOM: ALIA HAS FAILED TO MATCH RESOURCES WITH DEVELOPMENT
The former governor also faulted the Alia administration’s performance, arguing that Benue had failed to record sufficient development despite increased federal allocations to states following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Ortom said residents who supported Alia in the 2023 election had become disillusioned and were now prepared to make a different political choice in 2027.
“Our people were deceived, and since then, most of them are aware and have decided to move from what they were doing in 2023 to a different thing,” he said.
He challenged residents to assess the government’s performance for themselves.
“But I tell you the truth, in terms of performance, come here and see things for yourself,” Ortom said.
“With the huge resources, courtesy of the removal of full subsidy, come and see what is happening. Even the little things we can see in Benue State here, in Makurdi, the capital city, the 22 local governments are left without any impact.”
He further alleged that local government councils in the state were not being allowed to function effectively or independently execute projects.
“The local governments that should be autonomous and should be funding their projects are not doing any projects except the government does it. You don’t operate like this,” he said.
‘GOVERNOR IS NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO ANYONE’
Ortom also questioned the accountability of the Alia administration, recalling the governor’s pledge to run government “as a church” or “as a parish”.
“When Reverend Father Alia came on board as governor, he said he was going to run government as a church, as a parish,” he said.
“Nobody asked a reverend father to account for what comes in as offerings or tithes or whatever. You dare not ask them what is coming in.
“And that is what is happening in the new state. The governor is not accountable to anyone.”
He urged citizens to demand greater accountability from the state government, alleging that stakeholders who raised questions about the administration were being targeted.
“But they are not doing it. And so, people should hold their government accountable,” Ortom said.
“They have refused no stakeholders’ meeting. Nothing happens, and no question is asked. When you ask, they will go after you.”
ORTOM FAULTS ALIA OVER SECURITY
The former governor also criticised Alia’s handling of insecurity in Benue, alleging that the governor had failed to act on advice given by President Bola Tinubu following the Yelewata massacre.
According to Ortom, the President had advised Alia to convene a meeting involving former governors and traditional rulers to deliberate on a lasting solution to the state’s security challenges.
“The president said, ‘put heads together. Come and see me in Abuja, and let’s find a lasting solution to this problem’. But as I talk to you today, our governor has refused to summon that meeting,” he claimed.
Ortom further alleged that Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Benue governor, George Akume, had attempted to intervene but had been unable to gain access to Alia.
“Even those who are working with him cannot access him; talk less of us who are outside to offer advice,” he said.
He accused Alia of refusing to listen to other stakeholders, saying such an approach was inconsistent with democratic principles.
“He doesn’t listen to anybody. He says he’s an independent person. So, it is what he wants that he does,” Ortom said.
ORTOM: BENUE VOTERS WILL DECIDE IN 2027
On the 2027 elections, Ortom expressed confidence that Benue voters would make a different political choice after assessing the performance of the Alia administration.
“This is the dilemma that we are in. And I want to assure you, 2027, this man, people have now known him, that he’s running the state based on lies, deceit and hypocrisy,” he said.
“That is what is happening in Benue today.”
Alia, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, succeeded Ortom on May 29, 2023, after defeating Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was backed by the former governor.
Although Ortom congratulated Alia after the election and subsequently after his victory at the Supreme Court, the relationship between the two politicians has since deteriorated, with the former governor repeatedly criticising the incumbent’s administration.
ALIA’S AIDE: ‘HIS WORKS ARE VISIBLE’
Reacting to Ortom’s allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alia, Tersoo Kula, dismissed the former governor’s claims and insisted that the administration’s performance was visible across the state.
“It appears Ortom is back to the motor park and has forgotten the definition of ‘lies’ and ‘hypocrisy’,” Kula told TheCable.
“Alia is not a hypocrite and does not tell lies. His works are visible and speaking for him. He is steadily delivering on his covenant with the Benue people,” he added.
