Governor Hyacinth Alia has lashed out at former Governor Samuel Ortom and his ex-Commissioner for Education, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, accusing them of hypocrisy and failed leadership.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, during a press briefing at the Government House in Makurdi, the governor vowed not to be distracted by what he described as “calculated attacks” from individuals who “plundered the state with reckless abandon.”
Kula dismissed the recent criticisms from the former officials as lacking credibility and described them as attempts to derail a government committed to reform and development.
According to him, “When criticisms or attacks on government come from those whose own tenure was marked by unprecedented abuse of process, disregard for due diligence, and the institutionalization of monumental corruption, they ring hollow and reek of selective memory and self-cleansing hypocrisy.”
He accused Prof. Ityavyar of overseeing deep decay in the education sector during his eight years as commissioner and said it was ironic for him to criticize a government that is now fixing the mess he left behind.
Kula highlighted the strides the Alia administration has made in transforming the education sector, including the establishment of the Benue State University of Science and Technology in Ihugh.
He explained that the university has received all required approvals, licensing, and funding, with construction already underway and principal officers appointed.
Kula noted that the government had resolved long-standing industrial disputes in tertiary institutions through the payment of 38 months’ arrears of earned allowances to academic and non-academic staff—an achievement he said remains unmatched in many parts of the country.
He further revealed that over 9,700 qualified teachers have been recruited to revive the state’s basic education system, while 16 government colleges and secondary schools are currently undergoing rehabilitation.
He added that 225 primary schools have been renovated or completely rebuilt, with many now featuring multi-storey classroom blocks for the first time in Benue State’s history.
The governor’s spokesperson also announced the establishment of a Bureau for Quality Assurance, which has so far identified over 4,000 substandard schools for closure or upgrade.
He said this is part of efforts to ensure quality and accessibility in education. Additionally, he cited the creation of a new engineering faculty at Moses Orshio Adasu University to expand technical education, the launch of a student insurance scheme in partnership with NICON Insurance for all students in the state, the payment of ₦200,000 bursary allowances to 181 law school students, and the full sponsorship of WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB examination fees for over 18,000 final-year students in public secondary schools.
Kula challenged Ortom and Ityavyar to showcase their own legacy projects in the education sector and accused the former commissioner of involvement in scholarship fraud, illegal levies, and the collapse of the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Makurdi.
He added that forensic audits ordered by Governor Alia have uncovered financial irregularities under the previous administration, with investigations ongoing.
He described the recent statements from Ortom and Ityavyar as preemptive and aimed at garnering public sympathy ahead of accountability measures that may soon follow.
He emphasized that Governor Alia is not interested in media spectacle or ceremonial ribbon-cutting, stating that delivery and measurable impact are the true indicators of progress.
“This government will not be blackmailed into silence. Governor Alia is focused, and his eyes are on the ball,” Kula declared.
While welcoming genuine and constructive criticism, Kula condemned what he called “wicked attacks rooted in sanctimonious grandstanding,” and urged the people of Benue State to compare the former administration’s eight years with the current administration’s two years. “Let the people be the judge,” he concluded.
