By Paul Aondoakaa 

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr.Hyacinth Alia, has said his administration will remain focused on governance and development despite criticisms from former governor Samuel Ortom and other opposition figures ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The governor, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, said his administration’s record in infrastructure, investment, workers’ welfare and other areas would ultimately determine how Benue voters assess his performance at the polls.

The statement was issued in response to recent media comments by Ortom and members of his political camp criticising the Alia administration.

Kula said the governor was focused on what he described as the rebuilding of Benue through rural and urban road projects, regular payment of salaries and gratuities, improved welfare for workers, support for senior citizens and investments aimed at expanding the state’s economy.

He also pointed to the recent Memorandum of Understanding between the Benue State Government and Hudson Global Ltd, which is expected to support a proposed $5 billion Benue Economic Development Fund and wider economic transformation programme. The state government has described the initiative as part of its long-term strategy for attracting capital and transforming Benue’s economy.

“The growing confidence in Benue’s economic prospects is not accidental,” Kula said, arguing that the investment initiative reflected the direction of the administration.

He also cited the establishment of the Food Basket Bakery and ongoing road construction as examples of projects through which the government intends to demonstrate its performance.

However, the statement took a sharply political turn as Kula contrasted the Alia administration with Ortom’s eight-year tenure, alleging that the previous government was characterised by rising debt, unpaid workers’ and pensioners’ entitlements and large-scale displacement.

Those claims remain part of the political contest between the two camps and have not been independently established in the governor’s statement.

Ortom’s camp has, in turn, questioned the financial management of the current administration, demanding greater disclosure on how funds received by the state since 2023 have been utilised. Reports of the dispute show that his representatives have specifically questioned increased Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) inflows and the projects executed with the funds.

The exchange therefore reflects a broader political argument ahead of 2027: whether voters should primarily judge the current government by its visible projects and reforms, or demand detailed accountability for public revenues, expenditure and outcomes.

Kula also criticised Ortom’s political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, questioning his reported support for both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the presidential candidacy of Peter Obi.

The former governor has previously been associated with the G-5 governors’ political group and has maintained a prominent role in national and Benue politics. The disagreement over his current political position is now becoming part of the wider political contest in the state.

For voters, however, the more consequential issues extend beyond exchanges between political camps.

The progress of roads and other infrastructure, workers’ welfare, investment commitments, public finances, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and employment are measurable issues against which the administration can be assessed.

The proposed $5 billion investment programme, for example, will ultimately require scrutiny of its funding structure, implementation timetable, projects, beneficiaries and measurable economic outcomes rather than the value attached to the announcement alone.

Governor Alia has maintained that his administration’s record will speak for itself at the 2027 election.

But as the political contest intensifies, both the government and opposition are likely to face increasing demands from citizens for evidence, transparency and verifiable results.

For Benue voters, the central question may therefore be less about which political camp wins the argument in the media and more about what has actually changed and what can be independently demonstrated across the state.