From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and his predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom, are currently locked in a fierce war of words over the financial management of the state.
The clash follows the submission of a report by an probe panel alleging that N139.8 billion went unaccounted for during Ortom’s tenure.
In a swift reaction, the former governor dismissed the report as a “desperate witch-hunt” aimed at distracting citizens from the current administration’s failures.
In June 2025, Governor Alia inaugurated the Income and Expenditure Committee—headed by retired Justice Jubril Idrisu—to examine the state’s and the 23 local government councils’ financial records between May 29, 2015, and May 28, 2023.
Presenting the two-volume report on Friday, Justice Idrisu highlighted several critical findings despite facing document access constraints.
It revealed; “The state generated over N826.5 billion in revenue, while expenditure stood at about N683.4 billion, leaving an unaccounted balance of approximately N139.8 billion. The commission recommended full recovery from responsible parties.
Also, the panel uncovered irregular loan transactions involving financial institutions and local councils, noting that loan repayments far exceeded the original principal amounts without proper documentation.
Justice Idrisu flagged irregular public fund transfers lacking proof of legitimacy.
He criticized the dangerous practice of issuing blank, pre-signed mandates and stressed the need for strict authorization of online transactions.
Responding through a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Zege Paul, on Saturday, former Governor Samuel Ortom fiercely defended his administration, claiming the panel’s conclusion was predetermined.
“What the people of Benue witnessed on Friday was not an exercise in accountability. It was the culmination of a carefully scripted political witch-hunt designed from the outset to indict the government of Chief Samuel Ortom at all costs,” the statement added.
Raising several legal and political objections to the current probe, Ortom noted that the probe violates ongoing judicial processes.
He said the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal with a hearing scheduled for June 29, 2026, adding that the Benue State Government has an active case before the Supreme Court regarding the legality of its previous panels.
He argued that proceeding with the report while the matters are sub judice betrays a lack of confidence in the judiciary and amounts to “executive rascality of the highest order.”
Ortom alleged that after three years in office, the Alia administration has failed to address worsening insecurity, the plight of IDPs, and industrial disputes in education.
The former governor asserted that his administration’s accounts were subjected to statutory annual audits and published in national newspapers. He challenged the current government to look inward rather than obsessing over the past.
Ortom called on Governor Alia to account for the over N1.3 trillion that has accrued to Benue State during his three years in office.
According to the statement, the Alia administration systematically uses Ortom as a scapegoat whenever public dissatisfaction grows or questions are raised regarding current state resources.
Ortom maintained that no amount of manufactured reports would alter the facts of his stewardship.
