Attah Ede, Makurdi
Special Adviser to Benue State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Terver Akase, on Thursday, accused the Idoma sociocultural group gathering political supports for the actualization of Idoma governor, Benue Rebirth Movement(BRM) of unfairly victimizing his principal.
He stressed governor Ortom remain the leader of all Benue people, irrespective of ethnicity, religion and political affiliation.
Mr. Akase stated this while featuring on TVC News flagship programme, “This Morning” which focused on the topic ‘Understanding the Tiv/Idoma Zoning Tensions’ in respect of the forthcoming governorship election”, monitored by our correspondent in Makurdi.
According to the former CPS, it became necessary to clear the misconceptions being peddled by the group, saying that message being passed BRM, is a deliberate attempts to set up Governor Ortom for victimization, blackmail and drag him into an unnecessary media tussle.
Akase recalled that Governor Ortom had in August last year granted audience to the BRM when they paid him a courtesy visit and made a case for the people of Benue South (Zone C) to produce the next governor of the state.
He said the Governor urged the group to carry out wide consultations beyond party lines especially to the Benue North-East and North-West senatorial districts to earn confidence.
“,I wondered why the BRM has suddenly turned against Governor Ortom, accusing him of not supporting the clamour for an Idoma man to succeed him.
“I want to appeal to the group to shun politics of ethnicity and consider the interest of all Benue people. As a group whose membership spreads across the State, they should place the interest of all above personal interests.
“There is no need for BRM to fan the embers of discord between the people of Idoma land and their Tiv brothers by playing up avoidable sentiments. The group must desist from such conduct and rather preach unity and peace of the state”, Akase advised.
He maintained that the Tiv people, since creation of the State have lived peacefully with their Idoma brothers and other ethnic groups in the State, saying that the social harmony and cohesion must be sustained for the growth and development of the State.
On allegations that Governor Ortom refused to endorse his Deputy who is from Zone C, Mr Akase said Governor Ortom is a democrat and as such could not have anointed any one as doing so would have amounted to imposition of a candidate against the collective decision of the party leadership and its stakeholders across the State.
