Ortom fires back at Alia over financial allegations

Vows to expose his successor

Former Governor of Benue State Chief Samuel Ortom has accused his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, and his administration of spreading falsehoods about him and his tenure, alleging that he is being used as a scapegoat to cover up their own shortcomings.
Ortom, who spoke to newsmen in Makurdi on Tuesday, described claims that his administration left behind a debt burden of over N139 billion as “a lie from the pit of hell”, insisting that Governor Alia has continued to blackmail and malign his government despite repeated efforts to avoid public confrontation.
The former governor, who said he had privately advised Governor Alia to focus on governance ra...