Benue: Ortom’s camp slams Alia over alleged misuse of LG funds

Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom’s camp has strongly criticized Governor Hyacinth Alia over recent allegations that his administration increased local government security votes from N1 million to N10 million monthly, labeling the claims as “false and misleading.”

In a press release signed by Terver Akase on behalf of the former governor, the group accused Governor Alia of avoiding accountability since assuming office, despite receiving substantial federal allocations following the removal of fuel subsidies.

“It is concerning that Governor Alia, now in his third year, has consistently avoided calls for transparency regarding the significant resources allocated to the state,” the statement noted.

The Ortom group challenged Governor Alia to disclose the exact monthly allocations received by each local government from the Federation Account.

They cited reports that certain local governments, like Gboko, now receive monthly allocations as high as N624 million, raising questions about the allocation of only N10 million for security votes.

“Where is the remainder of the funds allocated?” the statement queried, highlighting a lack of visible development projects at the local government level, suggesting financial constraints imposed by the state government.

The release also alleged that Governor Alia has not implemented a Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments, treating their entitlements as discretionary allocations.

Contrary to claims that Ortom’s administration disbursed only ₦1 million as local government security votes, Akase asserted that Ortom granted full autonomy to councils, empowering them to manage projects and security challenges independently.

The former governor’s aide further accused the Alia administration of using Ortom as a “scapegoat” to deflect scrutiny, particularly concerning alleged monthly withdrawals of over ₦3 billion as security votes amidst ongoing attacks by Fulani herders.

“We urge Governor Alia and his officials to refrain from using his predecessor as a shield against legitimate demands for transparency and accountability from the people of Benue,” the statement added.