Benue: Gov Alia Refutes Tinubu on Unpaid Salaries; Ortom Not at Fault – Tever Akase

Former media aide to ex‑Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Tever Akase, said on Monday that Governor Hyacinth Alia had contradicted President Bola Tinubu by claiming that he inherited a debt of unpaid salaries.

Alia had accused Ortom of failing to pay salaries and pensions, a debt he supposedly inherited when he resumed office as governor in 2023.

Akase dismissed the governor’s claim, arguing that Ortom left only five months of salaries unpaid.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Akase insisted that Ortom was not a failure.

He said, “When I heard Governor Hyacinth Alia make such a statement, my mind went to the fact that he was contradicting the president, who is the leader of his party.”

“Recall that just last week, Tinubu was in Kigali, where he said that during the previous administration, before he removed the fuel subsidy, 27 states could not pay salaries, and he described that economy as a fake economy.”

“In June last year, Tinubu was in Benue State after the Yelewata attack, where over 200 people were killed. That reminds me that Alia was on record to have denied that 200 people were killed, even the Pope in a faraway land confirmed that 200 people were killed, but Alia here was saying that only 59 people were killed.”

“During a town‑hall meeting, Tinubu called on governors, including his host, Alia, and he asked them, ‘Are you borrowing to pay salaries now?’ and they chorused no. The reason is that he removed the fuel subsidy, and the money that is accrued for the state is much higher.”

“Take, for instance, the case of Benue State, under Ortom, the venue was receiving an average of N3 billion in a good month; now Alia is receiving close to N20 billion, that is more than 700 percent.”

“Despite Nigeria going into recession two times, Ortom was able to pay out of 96 months in eight years; he paid 91 of those months, and he inherited about N160 billion in debt, including N72 billion of salaries and pension backlogs and about over N100 billion in contract obligations.”

“By the time he was leaving office, Ortom was able to pay N42 billion of pensions. Remember that Ortom inherited these pensions; it was accumulations of previous administrations.”

“So if out of 96 months, Ortom was able to pay 91 months and he inherited seven months of unpaid salaries from his predecessor while leaving five minutes months, I don’t think Ortom failed.”