Court ordered Alia govt to return my 23 vehicles, pay N5m damages – Ortom

Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has disclosed that a legal battle over 23 government vehicles allegedly taken from him after he left office ended with a court directing the state government to return the vehicles and pay him N5 million in damages.

Ortom made the disclosure during a live interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, where he also accused the administration of his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, of using government authority to target political opponents and undermine the rule of law.

According to the former governor, the vehicles had been officially allocated to him by the Benue State Government before they were allegedly taken back following the change in administration in 2023.

He said he subsequently sought legal redress and won the case.

“After I left office, vehicles that were legitimately allocated to me by the government were seized by the administration in a manner that was unbecoming,” Ortom said.

“I went to court, defeated them, and the court ordered them to pay N5 million in damages in addition to returning the 23 vehicles that were initially seized.”

Ortom served as Benue governor for two terms from 2015 to 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party before Alia defeated the PDP candidate in the 2023 governorship election under the All Progressives Congress.

Relations between the two administrations have remained strained, with both sides trading accusations concerning the state’s finances, government assets and decisions made during the transition of power.

After taking office, the Alia administration questioned aspects of the previous government’s financial management and overall administration of the state.

Ortom, however, has repeatedly denied allegations of misconduct and maintained that his government acted appropriately while in office.

Speaking further, Ortom said the vehicle dispute was only one aspect of what he described as broader concerns about the way the current administration operates.

He faulted the Alia government for what he described as a lack of inclusive political engagement, claiming that politicians across party lines had not been brought together to deliberate on matters affecting Benue.

“Since this government came into office, there has not been a single stakeholders’ meeting across party lines,” he said.

The former governor also criticised the APC-led administration, describing it as “a sham” and alleging that its actions did not reflect the principles of democracy.

“We have a government in Benue State that does not believe in the rule of law, that engages in witch-hunts and runs down its opponents,” he said.