Benue: Gov Alia under fire for abandoning Idoma people

The Idoma Proactive Diaspora Coalition (IPDC), a group of Idoma individuals living outside Nigeria, has expressed concern over the distribution of appointments and projects in Benue State.

According to the group’s president, Alechenu Amali, the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia has shown a lack of balance in its appointment policy, with all key positions going to individuals from the Tiv ethnic group.

“All the primary appointments approved by the state government have been given to individuals of Tiv extraction,” Amali said in a statement.

The group also alleges that the state government’s development projects have been concentrated in Tiv areas, neglecting the needs of the Idoma community.

This perceived marginalization has led to disappointment and frustration among the Idoma people, who had overwhelmingly supported Alia’s candidacy in the 2023 gubernatorial election.

“Unfortunately, Fr Alia was voted for massively by the Idoma people, thinking that as a clergyman, he would be fair to the minority, but he has become even worse,” Amali said.

“The Idoma people have now given up and can only turn to God or cry to the international community.”

The IPDC is calling on the government to address these concerns and ensure a more equitable distribution of appointments and development projects, reflecting the diversity of Benue State’s ethnic groups.