A former aide to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom has cautioned Governor Hyacinth Alia against what he termed a continued pattern of blame and distraction, urging the Benue leader to concentrate on implementing President Bola Tinubu’s security roadmap rather than pointing fingers.
In a statement issued on yesterday, Terver Akase, media aide to the immediate past governor, accused Governor Alia of persistently targeting Ortom in his public communications.
“Governor Alia and his team are so obsessed with Ortom’s name that even when discussions have nothing to do with the former governor, they find a way to drag him in,” Akase stated.
He was reacting to an official response from Alia’s media office to a federal lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Dickson Tarkighir, where the governor claimed that over four million people were displaced in Benue under Ortom’s tenure.
Akase, however, described the claim as unfounded. “At no point did Governor Ortom say Benue had four million IDPs.
In fact, the 1.5 million figure that Governor Alia now touts is the same data he inherited from Ortom’s administration and has presented to the media and development partners himself,” he said.
He emphasized that Ortom’s administration had worked with both local and international agencies to establish accurate data and responses to displacement in the state, citing partnerships with organizations like the UNHCR, IOM, and NEMA.
Akase criticized the governor’s shifting narratives on the ongoing attacks in the state.
“One moment, Alia blames foreigners; next, it’s Fulani cow rustling, then ‘Abuja politicians,’ and now even clergymen. This clearly shows confusion or deliberate misinformation,” he alleged.
The statement urged Governor Alia to fully implement the security suggestions offered by President Tinubu during his recent visit to the state.
“It’s been five days since the President made practical recommendations, but we are yet to see any action,” Akase lamented.
He also called on Alia to allow Benue’s 23 local governments control over their funds, noting that increased allocations since the fuel subsidy removal in 2023 should be used to enhance grassroots security.