Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has called on his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, to stop using him as a scapegoat for the unrelenting insecurity and humanitarian crisis in the state.
Ortom said that the current administration’s fixation on his name will not stop the killings or bring relief to the people.
In a statement issued Sunday through his former Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, Ortom expressed deep concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt by the Alia-led government to divert attention from its own shortcomings by repeatedly blaming previous administrations.
The rebuttal came in response to Governor Alia’s recent claim, made via a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, that Benue State recorded over four million internally displaced persons (IDPs) during Ortom’s tenure—an assertion Ortom dismissed as both false and misleading.
“Under Ortom’s watch, Benue State recorded the highest number of IDPs in its history, with over four million people displaced from their ancestral homes,” Kula had said, adding that such figures underscored the ineffectiveness of “reactive rhetoric without strategic support for security architecture.”
Challenging the figures, Akase described them as grossly inflated and unsubstantiated. “At no time did Chief Ortom claim there were four million IDPs,” he said. “The administration worked with reputable humanitarian agencies to generate accurate, verifiable data. The 1.5 million figure was officially documented and is the same figure Governor Alia inherited, accepted, and presented to partners.”
Akase accused the current administration of turning every governance issue into a personal vendetta against Ortom. “From the day he assumed office, Governor Alia and his aides have made it their mission to drag Ortom’s name into every matter, whether relevant or not,” he said. “This obsession won’t solve the crisis in the state.”
He also took issue with the government’s handling of a recent protest by IDPs at the Makurdi International Market camp, where displaced persons reportedly demonstrated against worsening hunger and neglect. Akase criticized the insensitivity of officials who, he said, failed to respond meaningfully to the protest.
“While IDPs were protesting hunger and neglect, the Executive Secretary of SEMA was seen attending a lavish wedding in the United Kingdom,” he said. “We expected a press release that would address that shameful insensitivity. Instead, what we got was yet another attack on Ortom.”
The former governor’s spokesperson urged Governor Alia to focus on governance and security, citing the practical recommendations made by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit to the state. “Mr. President gave practical steps to address insecurity in Benue,” he said. “Rather than act, Governor Alia keeps spinning excuses—one day blaming foreign mercenaries, the next day it’s ‘Abuja politicians,’ and now even religious leaders.”
Akase concluded by emphasizing that the people of Benue are tired of excuses and expect their government to act decisively in restoring peace and security.
What you should know
Samuel Ortom has asked Governor Hyacinth Alia to stop blaming his administration for the persistent insecurity in Benue State. Ortom’s camp insists that the number of IDPs during his tenure was officially 1.5 million, not the four million claimed by Alia’s government.
He urged the governor to adopt the security measures proposed by President Tinubu rather than making excuses.
