Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has challenged Governor Hyacinth Alia to explain how the state and its 23 local government areas spent about N1.2tn received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee since 2023.
Ortom made the demand through his media consultant and former adviser on media and publicity, Terver Akase, during a news conference in Makurdi.
Akase said the funds received after the removal of the fuel subsidy had created an obligation for the Alia administration to provide a comprehensive account of its spending.
He said the governor’s media aides had focused on attacking Ortom and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mike Aondoakaa, while avoiding questions about accountability.
“Since assuming office in 2023, Governor Alia has enjoyed unprecedented financial inflows from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, following the removal of fuel subsidy, yet neither he nor his aides have provided Benue people with a comprehensive account of how those enormous resources have been utilised,” Akase said.
He asked the administration to disclose the total FAAC allocations received by the state and local governments and identify the projects executed with the funds.
“Alia’s government and that of the 23 local government areas got about N1.2 trillion naira from the FAAC from 2023 till date. What projects have been executed with those resources? Why are local government areas across the state bereft of visible government presence despite the unprecedented revenue inflows?” he asked.
Akase alleged that the questions remained unanswered because the administration had chosen propaganda over performance.
Responding, Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, said the governor’s performance should be assessed against the economic realities confronting the state rather than FAAC receipts alone.
Kula argued that higher federal allocations did not automatically translate into unlimited funds for state governments, noting that increased revenue had been accompanied by inflation, rising construction costs, insecurity and other economic pressures.
“It has become imperative to state clearly that increased federal revenue does not automatically translate into unlimited resources for state governments,” he said.
The governor’s spokesman also accused the previous administration of frequently citing lack of funds as a reason for its shortcomings.
“During Ortom’s reign, many of his fellow governors who were willing to perform had to make the most of what they received from the Federation Account. Benue, under Ortom, was among the states that frequently cited paucity of funds as an excuse for underperformance,” Kula said.
He added that comparing administrations solely on the basis of FAAC inflows amounted to an incomplete assessment of governance.
“Therefore, quoting FAAC inflows without examining the corresponding cost of governance and development is a deliberately incomplete way of assessing the performance of any government,” he said.
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