The immediate past Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has challenged Governor Hyacinth Alia to a public debate to clear the air over allegations of financial misappropriation leveled against his administration.
Ortom threw the challenge on Tuesday while hosting members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at his residence in Makurdi. The former governor maintained that his eight-year administration was anchored on transparency and accountability, with all government accounts audited annually and the reports published in national newspapers. He added that the overall audit report was gazetted by the Benue State House of Assembly as required by law.
Addressing the specific claim of ₦139.8 billion in misappropriation, Chief Ortom accused the Alia administration of relying on imaginary records and attempting to witch-hunt him without concrete evidence. He insisted that all financial records from his tenure remain intact and available for verification.
“If Governor Alia is confident in the report he has been circulating, he should be ready to present facts and figures in a public forum. Let us meet for a debate where both sides can lay out their records for the people to judge,” Ortom said.
The former governor urged his successor to take the matter to court if he believes there is a genuine case, rather than engaging in media trials. He also called on Governor Alia to refocus on fulfilling campaign promises, including clearing salary arrears, paying pensions and gratuities, and returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.
The statement was issued by Zege Paul Terhide, Media Assistant to Chief Samuel Ortom. The challenge has further heightened political tension in Benue State.
