Benue politics: the Idoma questions and the 2023 permutations

Opinion by COMRADE ADANU ISAIAH (09094257574/08052740254)

Given the tripartite ethnic nature and the geo political  divides of  Benue State one would ordinarily believe and conclude that in the spirit of the almighty Federal Character arrangement and the much talked about the  “YANA GBAWAN” eat and give your brother as popularized by the then political Icon of Benue State late Dr. Joseph Sawan Tarka the Idoma ought to have had a fair share of the political power  especially the governorship position, speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly,  Chairman Benue State Traditional Council and the Vice Chancellor Benue State University.

But the reverse appears to be the case as the aforementioned positions which to an extent largely dictate the pace of development in all facet of human endeavors in the State  remained elusive to Idoma Man in spite of the abundant , pools of human resources, qualified personnel, energetic youth, academician, consummate politicians, courageous leaders and what have you in Idoma land,  we have continue to be denied our legitimate right to occupy  the exalted seat of power with a view to  contributing our quotas to the growth of the state and chat a just cause for the development of our dear state.

Unfortunately, this seeds of marginalization, deprivation, relegation and domination proceeds the 02, 03 1976 state creation were both the Tivs, Idomas and the Igedes were ballooned from Jos the then capital of Benue/Plateau to Makurdi the capital of the newly independent state called Benue.

Election of successive Governors for the State from 1976 till date which favors and tilted towards  the Tivs as against the other tribes like the Idoma and Igedes remains an eloquent testimony of the lopsided arrangement.

One of the major characteristics of Benue politics is the inhuman and devilish assertion of a winner takes all this has for a long time bastardized the state polity and has to a large extend rendered the principle of inclusiveness, sense of belonging, popular participations, mutual trust, harmonious co-existence and above all eat and give your brother theory(YANAN GBAWAN).

For decades an average Idoma continue to ask question such as:  does Benue State belong to all of us? Who owns Benue State? Why can’t we the Idoma be given the opportunity to rule Benue State for once?  Who among the Tivs God will us to end this inhuman treatment melted to the Idomas by way of marginalization? Is there anything like Federal Character principles   in our constitution? Was yana gbawan practicable among the three geo-political blocks which includes the Zone A comprises of Sankera and Jechira, and Zone B, which constitutes Jemgba and Minda while Zone C, is made up of Enone ( the Idoma South) and Enochi(the Idoma North)? Why is it difficult to relinquish power to Idoma? This and many more questions that has remained un answered and has  continue to agitate the political mind of an average Idoma in the Benue project for years.

All these questions by the Idoma people  are not far from the truth if one takes a retrospective look and a diagnosis  of  the IBB  and ABACHA inglorious era were concerted effort were made by the Tiv dominated Benue State house of Assembly  to excise the Idoma from Benue State on ground of minor political differences and disagreement, the same act of threat were again brandished by the same House of Assembly in 2010  when  the majority passed a resolution Excising Idoma from the State after the minority members staged a walk out  again on ground of  purported  marginalization of Tivs by the Idoma in  Federal appointment. This show of raw power by the Tiv lend credence to the above  questions.

Governors have come and gone the promises of shifting power to Zone C  has remained largely  unfulfilled given the tactics of  divides and rule as applied by the Tivs whenever a major contest like the governorship election is to be held.

In my view the political strategy  deployed by the Tivs to thwart the Idoma desire and dream of occupying the Governorship position in the State has worked perfectly for them in the past Gubernatorial primaries owing to the application of the group conflict theory  which to me was a negation of the principle of social justice, federal character, the ideology of the Yana gbawan, the zoning formula etc.

To add insult to injury Dr. George Akume the then executive governor of the state  promised Idoma the ticket but   reneged and set all Idoma prospective aspirants at the eve of 2007  PDP primaries  on a head on  collision.

Governor Gabriel Suswan reassures the Idoma in Otukpo during his 2011 re-election campaign that if voted in he will relinquish power to the zone at the expiration and completion of his second and last term in office but his body language as at then suggested something different, a development seen by many Idoma and Political analyst as a betrayer and negation of gentleman’s agreement reached between him and the Idomas.

It is against the above backdrop, the looming campaign for 2023  and the arrays of qualified and qualified aspirants from the Idoma axis that I wish to lend my voice and contribute to the current debates of power shift to Benue South Senatorial Districts otherwise refers to as zone C,  were the Idoma against all odds  calls the shot and hold sway.

But  successive  benue Governors have failed   as a matter of sincerity, responsibility, reciprocity  to take a cue from their counterpart such as the  likes of the ex-while Anambra State counterpart Chief Peter Obi who against all known political  logic zoned  the governorship position to the Anambra  North senatorial district  whom since the creation of the state have not produced the state chief executive, liel Imoke of Cross River and a handful of other governors have reaffirmed their determination to cede   power to the minority group in their respective states just to fulfill all political  righteousness.

I urge and appeal to all Idoma  governorship hopeful/ aspirants not to accept anything other than the  number one position   this time around as we focus our attention on power shift, hope on on God  and to learn from past mistakes were each of the aspirants were cajoled, deceived and erroneously convinced of a purported support by unknown political personality which eventually led to their losses and massive defeats they all suffered and an ultimate win for a relatively unknown Gabriel Suswan in 2007.

They should carry out their consultations and campaigns devoid of mudslinging, character assassinations, inflammatory statements, unwarranted utterances, shun and discourage all forms of political banditry, rascality and thuggry  and prioritize   issue based and developmental  politics by  show casing/unveiling  their past records of  achievements so as to garner and galvanize popular supports and goodwill  from the electorates.

Again committee of all Idoma  intending aspirants should be set up to harmonize their positions, opinions and  fashion out a code of conduct for each of them as well as terms of reference and other modalities to ensure victory for the zone.

The paramount traditional ruler of Idoma HRH Agabaidu Chief Elias Ikoyi Obekpa should also rise up to the occasion to provide fatherly and spiritual counsel to the aspirants  when the time  comes for the purpose of arriving at a common ground and an acceptable consensus among them.

I pray that God should  genuinely use  the likes of Paul Unongu,  Abu Kingsluwa,  Governor Samuel Ortom, Senator Akume,  Rt Hon. Emmanuel Jime,  the Tor Tiv (HRM) Professor Ayatse, Ayu, Gemade, Okey Jev,  Professor Ugba, Hon. Tarzor, etc as  our messiahs  and instrument for the realization of our noble dream given the popular  supports and  cordial working relationship they have  all at various  occasion  and foral enjoyed from all Idoma Sons and Daughters so that the pendulum will swing in our favor this time as we enter into the 2023 general election with high hope, vigor  expectations, enthusiasm  and renewed optimism.