The Benue State Government under Governor Hyacinth Alia has accused former Governor Samuel Ortom of running the state “aground” during his eight-year tenure.
The sharp response came on Wednesday from Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, following Ortom’s claim that the current administration seized vehicles given to him by the State Executive Council at the end of his tenure in 2023.
Ortom had also stated that he took the government to court over the matter and won.Kula countered that the cars in question were found hidden in a mechanic workshop after security agencies provided intelligence. He said the workshop owner later sued the Benue State Government.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Kula said: “These cars were hidden in a mechanic workshop somewhere and they claimed they don’t belong to Ortom himself. The owner of that workshop took the Benue State Government to court because of this.
“He said the cars were given to him legitimately by the Benue State Executive Council that he was the chairman of, that he always presided over, and appointed members as his commissioners, so it’s difficult to understand. But then, it has opened a vista to understand what Ortom entrenched in Benue State as the governor for eight years.
“This state was practically run aground by Ortom.”Kula added that intelligence from security agencies led to the discovery of the vehicles at the workshop, after which the owner of the facility first initiated legal action against the government.