BENUE 2023: Idoma Can’t Be Governor By Force – Gov Ortom

A person of the Idoma ethnic extraction can become Benue State governor through proper negotiation and not force, said Governor Samuel Ortom.

Since its creation on February 3, 1976, Benue has been governed by the Tiv ethnic group which constitutes the majority tribe in the state.

Advertisement

The Tiv currently occupies 14 out of the twenty-three Local Government Areas in the state while the remaining nine are shared among the Idoma, Igede, and Akweya, amongst others.

Speaking during an Arise TV interview on Wednesday, Governor Ortom denied reports that he was opposed to power shifting to the southern region of the state.

“Those people saying that are just out to blackmail me. It is as simple as that, I have never said that.

“What I said was that we have a situation in Benue State. Two senatorial districts are predominantly Tiv people (Benue North-West and Benue North-East). We have one senatorial district that is (occupied by) the Idoma people (Benue South),” he said.

Advertisement

According to Ortom, there needs to be a mutual agreement between the three senatorial districts in the state before power can shift to Benue South.

“Idoma governor is possible. We can make it but it is through dialogue, negotiation, and understanding…it is not by force. What the Benue rebel movement was doing was wrong. When they came to me after forming the rebel movement…I told them that look, let your traditional rulers go Tiv Land, let your political class go to Tiv Land, and at the end let all of us – PDP, APC, APGA, Labour Party, etc. – make their candidature to be in Zone C (Benue South). With that, it can work out.

“But look, in Benue State today as I talk to you, I was having 24 members but now I have twenty-six members of the Benue State House of Assembly out of 30 and three senators in the PDP. And I have eight members out of eleven members of the House of Representatives (in the PDP). But if I make any mistake by saying we will give governorship to Zone C, Zone A and B will vote against me and my party will be out of power.

“But if all of us are able to agree that the governorship should go Zone C (and) every political party accepts that then we can have a level playing field. But as of today, If you say that the PDP should give governorship to Zone C, APC will take advantage and use ethnicity to blackmail me that as governor, this is what I’ve done.

“I’m not against Idoma governor, we are brothers and sisters and we must work together. So, this is the crux of the matter, I am not against that, but if you want to allow another political party to take advantage of my party where I am the leader, I will not accept it that way. That was the point that I made,” said the governor.

Advertisement

THE WHISTLER reported that Ortom had during the interview accused Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, of doing injustice to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, by denying refusing to pick him (Wike) as his running mate.

Show Comments (1)

Advertisement