By SAA AONDO, Makurdi –
The people of Benue South Senatorial District have called on Governor Samuel Ortom to write his name in history by facilitating the emergence of his successor in 2023 from the Senatorial District, popularly called zone C.
The call was made in Makurdi, during an advocacy visit to the Governor by the people of Zone C under the aegis of Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM), the body that is leading the agitation for the zone to produce the Benue state Governor in 2023.
The zone, made up of Idoma and Igede-speaking ethnic groups, has never occupied Benue state’s number one political office since the state was created in 1976 while zones A and B, both of Tiv ethnic group, have been alternating it between them, producing five governors, taking advantage of their numerical strength. It is, therefore, believed that it would take extraordinary courage and fair-mindedness to surrender this advantage and that any Tiv leader that does so would stand out in history in the eyes of the rest of the would.
The people of Zone C believe that based on his antecedents, the influence of his office and as the leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Governor Ortom can make history by influencing the emergence of the state Governor from Zone C for the first time.
AVM Monday Morgan, BRM National Coordinator and leader of delegation put it succinctly when he told the.: “What gives us the confidence in all these is your ability to take seemingly difficult but credible decisions in the interest of your people as exemplified by your decision to stand by your people during the external opposition to the against open grazing, even in the face of obvious threats to your life.”
The National coordinator also recalled a couple of landmark decisions taken the Governor towards creating a new Benue, including the appointment of Justice Adam Onum as the Chief Judge of the state, the first from Benue South Senatorial District, and that of Mrs. Veronica Onyeke as the first female Head of Service from Zone C.
“The courage you displayed, and which we expect you to display in relation to this request from , brings to mind the courage our legendary brother and leader, late Senator (Dr.) Joseph Sarwuan Tarka, demonstrated in his fight for minority rights in Nigeria during his time.”
Senator Abba Moro, representing Benue South Senatorial District , said that if Governor Ortom could demonstrate similar courage by facilitating the election of a Benue state Governor from zone C in 2023, history would continue to remember him just like Senator Tarka.
Both Mrs. Comfort Agogo and Gideon Obande who spoke on behalf of women/Igede and youths, respectively, also urged Governor Ortom to heed the call of history by yielding to the agitation for a Benue state Governor from Zone C in 2023. Make history and let provudence be kind to you, our Governor, ” Mrs. Agogo said.
In his response, Governor Ortom advised the people of Benue South Senatorial District (zone C) to be united and reach out with their demand in prayer and wisdom to the people of zones A and B, the major political parties in the state and other stakeholders to get them to zone the office of the state governor to zone C.
He expressed his wish for the governorship candidates of the two dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge through consensus from the same zone to avoi diving the people of the state along ethic lines that would be a disadvantage to zone C.
Benue South, Governor Samuel Ortom,APC, PDP, Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM), AVM Monday Morgan,
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.