Responding to the incident through Kula Tersoo, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the state administration maintained it was completely unaware of the trip, noting that advanced notice would have enabled a swifter official response. Tersoo also raised concerns regarding Obi’s security detail, emphasizing that as a former governor and national presidential candidate, his movements should involve coordination between federal security agencies and host-state authorities.

Furthermore, the governor’s aide firmly dismissed allegations linking the state government to the youths who blocked the convoy, asserting that the administration does not employ thugs and views Obi as no political threat to Governor Alia. Tersoo concluded by reiterating the administration’s absolute lack of prior knowledge regarding the visit, stating that they only became aware of the situation through media inquiries.

Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has launched a scathing critique against his successor, incumbent Governor Hyacinth Alia, accusing the current administration of subverting democratic norms and prioritizing political victimization over good governance. Appearing on Arise Television, Ortom asserted that Governor Alia has completely discarded the rule of law, choosing instead to focus his administration’s energy on witch-hunting and undermining political opponents. Reflecting on the political climate over the past three years and several months, Ortom remarked that the government operates under a mandate of opposition suppression rather than public service.

A central point of contention highlighted by Ortom involves the contentious seizure of 23 official vehicles assigned to him and key officials from his preceding administration. According to the former governor, these utility assets were legitimately authorized and approved as used vehicles by the State Executive Council after surpassing four years of operational service, and were confiscated by the current government without any prior notice or formal communication. In response to the seizure, Ortom sought legal recourse, securing a court judgment that mandated the immediate return of the vehicles alongside an award of ₦5 million in damages. Despite this definitive legal victory, Ortom revealed that the state government has neither returned the fleet nor filed an appeal against the ruling, leaving the vehicles withheld.

Beyond the ongoing dispute over state property, Ortom further alleged a pattern of political interference targeting his personal and familial engagements. He claimed that Governor Alia issued direct directives instructing traditional rulers within his local constituency to shun him and deny him an audience during a recent visit to his kinsmen regarding his wife’s senatorial ambitions. According to Ortom’s accounts, traditional authorities were explicitly forbidden from receiving him or allowing him to address them, illustrating a broader systemic effort to restrict his freedom of movement and political expression within the state.

Míchel candidly noted that Arokodare failed to operate at his optimal level during the encounter, pointing out an urgent necessity for energetic legs to effectively press PSV’s defensive line and exploit open spaces in behind. Elaborating on the tactical substitution to Ajax Showtime, the manager emphasized the collective backing the player receives while clarifying the reasoning behind the change: “Due to a lack of energy. He is a player we all support… Perhaps he wasn’t playing at his best level and we needed fresh legs to press and try to find space in behind the defence”.

Beyond physical output, the Spanish coach expressed explicit dissatisfaction with Arokodare’s initial contributions, stressing that as the primary focal point of the attack, much more was required to retain possession and orchestrate fluid team play. Míchel remarked, “We said that he would be important as a focal point. He had to enable us to hold onto the ball and allow us to play as a team. I wasn’t pleased with his first actions”. Characterizing both his own and the player’s temperaments as deeply passionate, Míchel acknowledged that tactical perspectives from the technical area offer a distinct clarity, leading him to directly urge the forward to inject greater grit and intensity into every phase of his play.

The match ultimately slipped further away from Amsterdam as PSV reasserted dominance, grabbing a second goal through Lutsharel Geertruida right before the half-time whistle and sealing the fixture with a 92nd-minute strike courtesy of Esmir Bajraktarević. This setback leaves Ajax lingering in sixth place within the Eredivisie standings, having accumulated a modest total of seven points from their opening four matches of the campaign.