Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has cautioned his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, to stop making him the scapegoat for the state’s worsening insecurity and humanitarian crisis, saying “name-calling won’t stop the killings.”
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday by his former Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, Ortom expressed disappointment over what he described as Governor Alia’s “obsession” with his name and legacy.
“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. This obsession won’t solve the crisis in the state,” Akase said.
The latest face-off was triggered by Governor Alia’s recent remarks accusing Ortom of overseeing the displacement of over four million persons during his tenure, a figure Ortom’s camp has dismissed as false and misleading.
Alia, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, said, “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. This figure underscores the failure of reactive rhetoric without strategic support for security architecture.”
Responding, Akase stated that Ortom had never made such a claim and insisted that the official figure of 1.5 million internally displaced persons was verified in collaboration with international humanitarian agencies.
“At no time did Chief Ortom claim there were four million IDPs. The administration collaborated with reputable humanitarian agencies to gather accurate and verifiable data. The 1.5 million figure was officially documented and is the same figure Governor Alia inherited, accepted, and presented to partners,” Akase said.
Akase also condemned the Alia administration’s handling of the recent protest by IDPs at the Makurdi International Market camp, where displaced persons decried hunger and neglect.
“While IDPs were protesting hunger and neglect, the Executive Secretary of SEMA was seen attending a lavish wedding in the United Kingdom,” Akase alleged.
He said rather than addressing the insensitivity, the government chose to “deflect blame and launch another attack on Ortom.”
The former governor’s aide further advised Governor Alia to focus on implementing the security roadmap proposed by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit to Benue.
“Mr. President gave practical steps to address insecurity in Benue. 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 said.