Gov. Alia Makes Fresh Allegations Against Ortom As Seized Cars Spark Controversy

The political disagreement between Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and his predecessor, Samuel Ortom, has intensified following fresh comments over vehicles recovered from a mechanic workshop in the state.

The latest development followed Ortom’s claim that the current administration seized vehicles that had been legitimately allocated to him by the Benue State Executive Council before he left office in 2023. Ortom said he challenged the seizure in court and secured a judgment ordering the return of the vehicles as well as ₦5 million in damages.

Responding to the former governor’s claims, Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, said the vehicles were discovered in a mechanic workshop following intelligence provided by security agencies.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Kula made the clarification during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he questioned the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and their presence at the workshop.

Kula said the owner of the mechanic workshop was initially the person who approached the court over the matter, arguing that the vehicles had been legitimately allocated to him by the State Executive Council. He said the circumstances surrounding the vehicles raised questions about how government assets were handled during Ortom’s administration.

The governor’s spokesman further accused the former governor of leaving Benue in a difficult position after his eight years in office, describing the discovery of the vehicles as part of a broader picture of how the previous administration managed state resources.

He maintained that security agencies received information that some vehicles were being kept at the workshop, prompting officials to visit the location, where the vehicles were subsequently recovered.

The development comes amid an increasingly bitter exchange between the two former and current governors over the handling of government assets. Ortom has accused the Alia administration of witch-hunting political opponents and disregarding the rule of law, while the current administration has defended its asset-recovery efforts.

Ortom has maintained that the disputed vehicles were approved as used government assets after serving for more than four years and were therefore legitimately allocated. He also insisted that a court had ordered their return and awarded him ₦5 million in damages.

The competing claims have added another dimension to the longstanding political tensions between the two administrations, with the dispute over the vehicles continuing to generate controversy in Benue State.