A former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, Dr. Terver Akase, has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration of launching attacks against Ortom and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, in an alleged attempt to divert attention from its record in office.
Akase, who made the allegations in a rejoinder issued on Saturday, said the attacks were coming amid public concerns over the reported obstruction of former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during his humanitarian visit to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue State.
He described the alleged obstruction as a matter requiring explanation, accusing the Alia administration of responding instead with “insults, fabrications, character assassination and political mudslinging.”
According to Akase, “the government’s attention should be focused on accountability and its handling of public resources”.
The former governor’s aide questioned the amount of money the Alia administration had received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) since 2023, following the removal of the fuel subsidy, and challenged the government to account for the funds.
“They are permanently silent on how much the present administration has received since 2023. What projects have been executed with those resources?” Akase asked, adding that the government should explain why some local government areas allegedly lacked visible government presence despite increased federal allocations.
He also criticised the governor’s media team over its alleged failure to address the recent attack on Ayilamo in Logo Local Government Area while concentrating on political opponents.
Akase claimed that more than 200 armed attackers invaded the community, killing residents and security personnel. He described the alleged absence of a message of sympathy from the government as evidence, in his words, of “an administration more preoccupied with political vendetta than with the protection of lives and property.”
On allegations that Ortom was secretly supporting Peter Obi while publicly backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Akase dismissed the claim as “absurd,” insisting that the former governor had been open about his political positions.
He said Ortom supported Obi during the 2023 presidential election and subsequently declared support for Tinubu, maintaining that the former governor had not hidden either position.
Akase also rejected attempts to link Ortom to both Obi’s visit and the reported obstruction of the former presidential candidate’s movement into Makurdi township.
“The attempt to link him simultaneously to Obi’s visit and to the reported blockade of Obi’s movement is not only contradictory but intellectually bankrupt,” he said.
He further alleged that some of the youths involved in the reported obstruction were individuals who were often seen around the governor chanting political slogans, including “No Alia, no Benue.”
The former governor’s aide also defended Ortom over allegations that he provided a vehicle for Obi during the visit, describing the gesture as an act of courtesy to a fellow former governor and national political figure.
According to him, “it is both ridiculous and shameful for anyone to attempt to criminalize or politicize the simple act of making a vehicle available to a fellow Nigerian leader.”
Akase argued that providing transportation for Obi during a humanitarian mission should ordinarily have been viewed as a gesture of hospitality and statesmanship rather than a political offence.
The statement further accused the Alia administration of being increasingly concerned about Aondoakaa’s political profile ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Akase said the frequency of attacks against the PDP candidate suggested that the governor’s camp regarded Aondoakaa as a serious political challenger.
“What the latest outburst has exposed is what many Benue people already know: the Alia camp has identified Chief Aondoakaa as a formidable political force and a credible alternative capable of challenging the governor’s re-election ambitions,” he said.
He challenged the governor to focus on what he described as the major issues confronting Benue, including insecurity, agriculture, infrastructure, unemployment, education, healthcare and the welfare of internally displaced persons.
Akase asked the administration to explain what it had done to tackle insecurity, return farmers safely to their lands, create jobs for youths and improve infrastructure and social services across the state.
“These are the issues that will define the 2027 election, not cheap insults, manufactured controversies or the politics of diversion,” he said.
Akase also highlighted Aondoakaa’s campaign promises, saying the PDP candidate had presented himself as an alternative focused on security, accountability, justice and good governance.
He said Aondoakaa had pledged to enforce the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017, facilitate the return of IDPs to their ancestral communities, secure farmlands and create an enabling environment for farmers to return to productive Agriculture.
According to Akase, Aondoakaa had also promised to strengthen local government autonomy and reduce what he described as excessive dependence of elected local government authorities on the state government for funds.
He said the PDP candidate had further pledged to uphold the rule of law and govern with “fairness, equity and justice.”
Akase concluded that the 2027 governorship election would be determined by the records, programmes and competence of the candidates rather than political attacks.
“The 2027 contest in Benue State will not be about propaganda or insults. It will be a referendum on failure versus competence, excuses versus solutions, and misplaced priorities versus purposeful leadership,” he said.
