A fierce political war of words is underway in Benue State following revelations made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, claiming that the State receives as much as ₦30 billion monthly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC.
The claim has been swiftly followed by a challenge from the State chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Governor Hyacinth Alia to break his silence, demanding a full public accounting of all Federal revenues received since taking office on May 29th, 2023.
However, in a sharp counter-reaction, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed the opposition’s demands, insisting that the PDP must first account for an alleged ₦139.8 billion financial discrepancies from former Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration.
The single statement from Minister Nyesom Wike, has now ignited a major transparency row in the State
A statement signed by the Benue State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, the PDP estimates that the combined allocations to the State and its 23 Local Government Councils have exceeded ₦1.3 trillion under Governor Alia’s watch.
The opposition is now demanding a comprehensive breakdown of revenue, expenditure, and security spendings, citing incomplete infrastructure and persistent security challenges across rural communities.
But the ruling APC in Benue State is pushing back aggressively.
In a robust response, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Benedict Yawe slammed the PDP in the State for making what it calls a hypocritical demand.
The APC contends that before the opposition questions Governor Alia, it must first explain any alleged ₦139.8 billion financial discrepancy uncovered by the Benue State Income and Expenditure Commission of Inquiry, covering the period of Ortom-led administration from 2015 to 2023.
Clarifying the FAAC figures, the APC urged the public to distinguish State allocations from Local Council receipts, noting that statutory deductions and inherited debts heavily impact net revenues.
The ruling party highlighted Governor Alia’s strides, including the implementation of the ₦75,000 minimum wage, the recruitment of over 9,700 Primary school teachers, free basic education, and key road construction and reconstruction interventions.
Taking a direct swipe at Wike, the APC advised the FCT Minister to focus on his Abuja mandate, declaring that “Benue is not Rivers State” and warning against selective standards of accountability.
With both political heavyweights exchanging fire over financial stewardship and legacy debts, residents and political observers alike are now watching closely to see if the state government will present a full financial ledger to put the debate to rest.
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(Editor: Ken Eseni)
