N139.8bn Controversy: Ortom Right as Alia Faces Questions Over Governance

The renewed allegations by Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, against his predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom, over the alleged missing N139.8 billion have sparked fresh political debate, with Benue people describing the move as more political than judicial.

According to the Alliance for Truth and Justice (ATJ), the Alia administration’s continued pursuit of Ortom is less about accountability and more about political vendetta aimed at shifting public attention from the current administration’s perceived shortcomings.

In a statement signed by its President, Aloysius Gbakaan, the group argued that after three years in office, Governor Alia should focus on defending his own performance rather than repeatedly blaming past administrations.

The group noted that Benue residents are more concerned about pressing issues such as insecurity, the growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), agriculture, poor road infrastructure, healthcare, and education.

According to ATJ, the persistent focus on Ortom amounts to a diversion from the urgent governance challenges confronting the state.

The group also raised concerns over the handling of the alleged N139.8 billion fraud case, pointing out that Ortom had maintained that the investigative panels set up against him became subjects of litigation.

Ortom reportedly stated that the Court of Appeal faulted the process adopted by the lower court and that the Alia administration subsequently approached the Supreme Court, only to later abandon the appeal and resort to fresh panels and public accusations.

ATJ questioned the rationale behind abandoning the judicial process if the evidence against the former governor was indeed compelling.

“Justice is determined in the courtroom, not through media trials,” the statement said.

The group further referenced Ortom’s claim that throughout his eight-year tenure, Benue State government accounts were audited annually, submitted to the Benue State House of Assembly as required by law, approved, and published in national newspapers.

It maintained that such claims are verifiable and should be tested in a competent court rather than through public rhetoric.

“Allegations are easy to make, but proof remains the true test,” the group stated.

ATJ argued that the Alia administration appears more invested in investigating the past than addressing present governance demands.

The group stressed that no government can continue campaigning against its predecessor indefinitely, especially after spending three years in office.

It further claimed that Governor Alia has received substantial allocations from the Federation Account, alongside internally generated revenue and other inflows, raising questions about what tangible benefits have accrued to the people of Benue State.

According to the group, the real debate should center on what the current administration has achieved with its mandate, rather than endless accusations against a government that left office three years ago.

ATJ insisted that Ortom’s position—that the allegations are intended to divert public attention from the failures of the current administration—appears increasingly credible given recent developments.

The group also noted that with the next election cycle approaching, the continued recycling of allegations against Ortom suggests a strategy aimed at shaping political narratives rather than presenting a compelling governance scorecard.

It warned that while accusations may dominate headlines, only performance can shape lasting public perception.

“History remembers governments not for the allegations they made, but for the lives they improved,” the statement added.

The group maintained that if insecurity persists, roads remain poor, farmers cannot safely return to their lands, and displaced persons remain in camps, political persecution alone cannot alter public opinion.

ATJ emphasized that Ortom is not seeking immunity from accountability but is demanding due process and insisting that all allegations be subjected to legal scrutiny in competent courts.

It concluded that legitimacy in governance is earned through performance, not persecution.

“After three years, Governor Alia owns the record of his administration and can no longer govern Benue through comparisons with the Ortom era.

The era of excuses is over. The people deserve answers on what has been done with the mandate entrusted to the present government,” the statement concluded.