You collected N23bn meant for my govt, got N1.3tn in 3 yrs, nothing to show for them.- Ortom blasts Alia. *Be truthful at least for once- Alia reply Ortom.

From Gabriel Agbo, Abuja 
Immediate past governor of Benue State Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom on Tuesday, alleged that his successor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia had received whooping sum of N23 billion meant for his government.

He also said that the Alia has received over ₦1.3 trillion from the federal account, an amount that is five times greater than what accrued to the state during his ninety-six months in office.

The former governor therefore challenged Governor Alia to an open debate on the finances of the state, stressing that the incumbent governor remains the only governor in Nigeria that is yet to clear workers salary arrears, pension and gratuity.

Chief  Ortom made the remark against the backdrop of recent allegation level on him by governor Alia , accusing him of failure to account for over 139 billion funds during his eight years as Governor. 

The Income and Expenditure Committee set up by Governor Alia in June, 2025 and headed by Justice Jubril Idrisu rtd, had last week submitted its report where it  alleged unaccounted 139 billion naira by the previous administration of former governor Ortom.

Speaking to members of the Correspondents' chapel at residence in Makurdi, Chief Ortom condemned the politics of vendetta and blackmail by the incumbent governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia on him, challenging him to bring his account books for three years and he would do same for eight years to the debate. 

According to chief Ortom, his immediate past government enjoyed relative peace except for attacks by marauders, stating that he was denied N35 billion by the Buhari's administration on grounds that he adamantly refused to repeal the anti-open grazing law.

"I inherited a total of N72bn  from my predecessor, Sen Gabriel Suswam. I inherited 72 billion as salaries arrears for 7 months. I had to borrow 10 billion to clear it and by 2023, I left 5 months arrears. I paid 91 out of 96 months and at the end of my government  I left 38 billion naira and 117 billion in contractual obligations and salaries. 

"I embarked on developmental projects in all the sectors across the State and accorded local government autonomy. Before I exited office, the state audit account was gazettted. I ensured due process and did not allow any fradulent practices. I challenge anyone to come out and say that I or any of my family members embezzled money. I and my wife have be invited to EFCC and ICPC several times. We are ready to go again and my former aides should do same", he alluded 

According to him, Governor Alia is merely weaponizing and trying to use him as a scapegoat not to account to the Benue people how he has expended money that accrued to his government in the last three years. 

Ortom decried the attitude of the Governor in failing to draw the line and continue with governance of the state, arguing that instead he is dissipating energy to constantly castigate him. 

Said he, "from today, I will hold this government accountable. Enough is enough of this blackmail. It is a directive by the President to hold our governors accountable. 

"I remember he came to me that he wanted to be the Governorship flag bearer of the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP in 2023 and I told him to go and concentrate on his priestly duties. He still holds that against me. 

"There is so much hypocrisy, outright misappropriation and evil committed and conceding our land to make us slaves. I have kept quiet and sometime silence though golden, could be misconstrued for conceit. I have to let Benue people know that this is persecution".

X-raying his eight years administration, Chief Ortom boasted that he sacrificed his life for the people, convened consistent non-partisan stakeholders' meeting, accepted constructive and superior arguments for the development of the state. 

He alleged that the Governor had received 23 billion meant for his government, adding that 1.3 trillion has accrued to the state in three years without commensurate result, positing that all the  states including Kogi have cleared salary arrears, pensions and gratuity even as Benue next door neighbor Nasarawa has undergone tremendous infrastructural development

"I had told the governor that he who lives in glass house, does not throw stones. And he that goes to equity must go with clean hands. I want to say again that the hasty submission of the Income and Expenditure was a witch hunt because there was an appeal court judgement restraining the committee from sitting. It was a diversionary tactics not to account for 1.3 trillion the Governor has received from the federation account in three years. 

"I urge the Governor to accept constructive criticism, convene a stakeholders meeting to listen to the people. We are at our best when there is peace", Ortom advised.

He further ueged Alia to refocus on the campaign promises he made to the people of Benue State and reminded him  about the promises to clear salary arrears, pay pensions and gratuities, and return Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.

Meanwhile, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia said that he is not out for any vendetta against  the former governor. 

He stated that handover notes are meant to be studied and after studies where there are lapses and gaps, one is  bound to invite a legitimate authority to help unravel the gray areas. 

Alia who spoke in a statement by his Chief press secretary Kula Tersoo, said his principal acted within the ambit of the law.

" In any case, this is not the first time a commission of inquiry will probe into activities of a previous administration. Ortom constituted one that probed his predecessor, Sen. Gabriel Suswam.
Ortom needs to tell Benue and Nigerians why he felt very comfortable probing his predecessor but he is not comfortable that he should be probed.

"Remember, in his desperate bid to escape from the probe, he ran to the judiciary. The commission that delivered its verdict in discourse is a different one from the one he took to court.

"Evidence is there that he was severally invited to appear before the commission and clear his name and he sent his lawyers who appeared for him. Most of his appointees including his former Chief Press Secretary and later Adviser of Media, Terver Akase also appeared and were given fair hearing", Kula.

He alluded that no person with conscience would have ignored the mess that was met on the ground, adding that 7 months of unpaid salaries for state government workers and 11 for Local Government workers and teachers and over 76 months of unpaid salaries and gratuity etc under Ortom remain questionable records. 

"The government was run basically on propaganda, from pretentious sobbing in churches to perpetual deceptive statements. When a governor tells the worse tales that he was running and dodging bullets from assailants who pursued him for over 1km, what else do you want him to confirm as a fabricator of all time.

"Talking about 1.3trn. Someone should tell Ortom to shut up. He has no idea of economic competitive analysis. How much was a litre of fuel when he was Governor and how much is a litre of fuel now? How much was a bag of cement and how.much is it now? How.much was a kilomemtre of road and how much is it now? How much was the dollar exchanging for Naira and how.much it is it now?

"Today, a day hardly passes without garnishee orders raining in the state. We are faced with garnishees in billions. These are as a result of shoddy handling of issues and blatant disregard to procedure which was the Hallmark of that infamous administration Benue people termed, "years of the locusts"., Kula stated