Benue State Governor Alia faces accusations from Ortom and Ndigbo group

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia is facing criticism and accusations from political opponents and ethnic advocacy groups. Former Governor Samuel Ortom recently accused Alia of seizing 23 vehicles provided by the state Executive Council at the end of his tenure in 2023, a matter Ortom claims he successfully contested in court.

In response, Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, stated that the vehicles were discovered hidden in a mechanic workshop following intelligence from security agencies. Kula defended the action, accusing Ortom of running the state “aground” during his eight-year administration.

Separately, the Ndigbo Progressive Forum (NPF) has accused Governor Alia of stoking ethnic tensions. The group alleges that political thugs linked to the governor attacked Peter Obi, the National Democratic Congress presidential candidate, during a visit to internally displaced persons in Yelwata. The NPF has demanded a public apology from the governor and called for a federal investigation into the incident to protect national unity.