The immediate past Governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom, has declared that only five months salaries arrears, in the tune of N38 billion was handed to his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia in 2023.

Ortom, while speaking in an interactive session with journalists on Thursday in Makurdi, frowned at unsubstantiated claims, saying over bloated wages heap at him by current dispensation is fallacy and insisted that is the accurate figure as disclosed.

Ortom, who asserted that he inherited seven months salary arrears from his predecessor, Gabriel Suswam in 2015, however, could not mention the figure.

He argued that salary inheritance dates back during the first civilian Governor of Benue State, Mr Aper Aku, between 1979 to 1983.

“Subsequently, the second civilian governor, Rev Fr Moses Orshio Adasu, was elected as the second governor and inherited salaries arrears. So, it is a continuous process.

“No one is an exception. Even during George Akume, his tenure as third democratically elected governor, 1999 – 2007, had inherited these same salaries arrears.

“While Gabriel Suswam served between 2007 and 2015, he also inherited salaries arrears several times during his tenure,” he added.

According to Ortom, during his tenure 2015 – 2023, he inherited seven months of arrears from his predecessor emphasising government continuity.