Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has challenged the current Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to explain how state funds have been utilised under his administration.
Ortom’s call comes amid growing concerns over insecurity, citizens’ welfare and the pace of development across the state. He urged the Alia administration to provide Benue people with clear accountability on the state’s finances and how public resources are being deployed to address the challenges confronting the people.
According to Ortom’s media consultant and former adviser on media and publicity, Terver Akase, who shared the former governor’s concerns during a news conference in Makurdi, the Alia government has enjoyed unprecedented financial inflows from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) since assuming office in 2023 following the removal of fuel subsidy. He stated that the state and its 23 local government areas received about ₦1.2 trillion from FAAC from 2023 till date, yet neither the governor nor his aides have provided a comprehensive account of how those resources have been utilised.
Akase asked what projects have been executed with the funds and why local government areas across the state remain bereft of visible government presence despite the revenue inflows. He accused the current government of choosing propaganda over performance and remaining permanently silent on how much has been received since 2023.
Reacting in a statement, Alia’s chief press secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, said the governor’s record was solid enough to earn credit, particularly when compared with the performance of the previous administration of Ortom. He noted that increased federal revenue does not automatically translate into unlimited resources for state governments.
Kula stated that during Ortom’s reign, many governors who were willing to perform had to make the most of what they received from the Federation Account, and that Benue under Ortom was among the states that frequently cited paucity of funds as an excuse for underperformance. He added that the Alia administration has operated in an environment of unprecedented inflation, rising costs of construction, insecurity and other economic pressures, and that quoting FAAC inflows without examining the corresponding cost of governance and development is a deliberately incomplete way of assessing the performance of any government.
