MAKURDI — President of the Alliance for Truth and Justice (ATJ), Aloysius Gbakaan, has thrown his weight behind former Benue State Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, in the ongoing controversy over the alleged missing N139.8 billion, accusing Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration of pursuing political vendetta instead of focusing on governance.
Gbakaan said the renewed allegations against Ortom were no longer about accountability but an attempt to divert attention from what he described as the current administration’s inability to convince Benue people with its performance after three years in office.
According to him, the people of Benue are more interested in seeing tangible achievements in areas such as security, agriculture, healthcare, education and road infrastructure than hearing repeated accusations against a government that left office years ago.
“After carefully examining the facts surrounding this controversy, we have reached one unavoidable conclusion: Chief Samuel Ortom is right. The Alia administration is persecuting Ortom because it has failed to convince Benue people with its own record,” Gbakaan stated.
He argued that three years into an administration should be a period for showcasing achievements rather than blaming predecessors.
“The people of Benue want answers about insecurity. They want answers about thousands of internally displaced persons who are still unable to return home. They want answers about agriculture, roads, healthcare and education.
“Instead, the government wants Benue people to spend every day discussing Ortom. That is not governance; it is diversion,” he said.
Gbakaan further expressed concern over the handling of the alleged N139.8 billion issue, noting that Ortom had consistently maintained that the investigative panels probing the matter were subjects of ongoing litigation.
He also pointed out that Ortom had repeatedly stated that government accounts during his eight-year tenure were audited annually, submitted to the Benue State House of Assembly as required by law, approved and published in national newspapers.
“This is not a casual defence. It is a factual claim that can be verified. If those audited accounts are false, let the government prove it in a competent court. If they are genuine, then the endless propaganda collapses under its own weight,” he said.
The ATJ president alleged that the Alia administration appeared more interested in investigating the past than addressing present governance challenges.
“What is becoming increasingly obvious is that the Alia administration is more comfortable investigating yesterday than governing today. No administration can campaign against its predecessor forever,” he added.
Gbakaan further questioned how resources received by the current administration had been utilised, claiming that the state had received substantial allocations from the Federation Account since Alia assumed office.
“Governor Alia has reportedly received over one trillion naira from the Federation Account in just three years, in addition to internally generated revenue and other inflows. The obvious question therefore is: What has Benue received in return?” he queried.
He insisted that public discourse should focus on governance and service delivery rather than what he described as “endless accusations” against a former administration.
“Chief Ortom was right when he said the allegations are designed to divert public attention from the failures of the present administration. Nothing supports that argument more than the timing,” Gbakaan said.
“As the next election approaches, instead of presenting a compelling scorecard, the government of Hyacinth Alia is recycling accusations against its predecessor.”
He maintained that Ortom was not seeking immunity from scrutiny but was demanding due process and adherence to the rule of law.
“Chief Samuel Ortom is not asking to be shielded from accountability. He is demanding due process and insisting that allegations be tested before competent courts rather than in the media. That is a reasonable position,” Gbakaan stated.
