- Rejects Benue 2023 political permutations
BY CHAMBERLAIN ODEY, JOS – For allegedly stoking the fire of ethnicity in leadership recruitment ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom has been told to hide his face in shame as a complete disappointment to the good people of Benue
This is as the governor and some Tiv political leaders are being accused of conspiring to reduce the 2023 governorship contest in the State to a tribal ‘war’ between the Tiv of Benue Zones A and B, and the Idoma people of Benue Zone C.
The knocks are coming from a political pressure group, Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM) which has berated the Governor to be “ashamed of himself” over his stance and preference in deploying ethnicity to scuttle rotation of power to Benue Zone C, thereby deliberately denying the Idoma tribe of political leadership in the State.
BRM’s National Chairman, General Geoffrey Ejiga (Rtd), who addressed a World Press Conference in Jos, the Plateau State capital, said it is unfortunate and regrettable that the governor and other Tiv leaders are taking and promoting the ethnicity route in their desperate bid to continue perpetuating injustice and greed in the State leadership structure come 2023 general polls.
Further advancing the BRM’s argument, General Ejiga said; “I saw Governor Ortom on Television and was shocked with what he was saying. He said an Idoma person cannot be Governor of Benue State because they don’t have the population”.
Consequently, the BRM warned that such callous comments from the State’s number one citizen smacks of disrespect and leadership ineptitude in appreciating the need to embrace understanding, fairness, equity, and justice within the State political system.
General Ejiga said the Idoma people are angry with Governor Ortom’s publicly quoted comments that the Idoma cannot be Governor because “Idoma people did not vote for him in 2015 and 2019, and the Idoma people do not allow the Igede people to become Senator representing Benue Zone C, and so they cannot demand equity”.
Citing examples from States where zoning is observed such as Plateau, Cross River, and Delta, among others, the BRM noted that political leaders are always circumspect in their utterances and attitude which ensures the citizens are calm, not agitated, and feel carried along.
He said regrettably, the case is different in Benue State where some so-called leaders have continued to demonstrate callousness and desperation in promoting ethnic bigotry where the Idoma people of the State Senatorial Zone C have been relegated to only the position of Deputy governor in perpetuity, and cannot even aspire to be Speaker of the State House of Assembly, or hold any important executive position.
Therefore, the BRM cautioned that the time to rethink the skewed structure is now as the principle of political power rotation among the zones of the State, starting with Zone C in 2023, remains key in the onerous task of moving Benue State forward.
The group said for all good intentions and purposes, having the governorship in Zone C senatorial district will not only douse ethnic tension but also engender peace, tranquility, and progress needed for smooth and nondisruptive governance practice in the middle belt state.
