A Press statement by the Project Management Committee (PMC) of Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM)
Abuja, August 5,2023
The Benue Rebirth Movement is a non partisan political pressure group which has been pushing for political inclusion in Benue state. As part of its activities, the Movement, through its National Coordinator, Air Vice-Marshal Monday Morgan (rtd), recently aligned with some concerned Benue South Senatorial District (or Zone C) Elders to decry the continuous exclusion of non Tiv-speaking ethnic groups from the gains of democracy by the political leadership of the state.
It would be recalled that since the creation of Benue state in 1976, the other ethnic groups namely, the Idoma, Igede, Jukun, Etulo and Nyinfo in all the three Senatorial Districts have been denied the opportunity to occupy the position of Governor of the state. Particularly, since the inception of the state, the positions of Governor and Speaker of the State House of Assembly have been carefully zoned and micro-zoned and rotated among the varous components of the Tiv-Speaking areas of Benue North-East and Benue North-West Senatorial Districts to the total exclusion of Benue South Senatorial District. On the other hand, the position of Deputy Governor, which is likened to a spare tyre, has been foisted permanently on Benue South since the creation of the state. Even the position of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) which used to be in Zone C was taken away during the immediate past administration of Samuel Ortom, thus renforcing the existing marginalization of the zone.
It is worthy of note that currently, out of ten key positions at the Federal and state levels, eight are occupied by the Tiv. These are: SGF, State Governor, Minister-designate; Speaker, BSHOA; SSG, Chief of Staff to the Governor, State Chief Judge, and member representing North Central zone in the North-East Development Commission. The only two positions being occupied by the minorities of Zone C are the State Deputy Governor and Federal Permant Secretary.
As things stand at the moment, about 90 percent of critical institutions in Benue state are headed by the Tiv, beside the total control of core government apparatus in the state.
It should be noted that Benue South Senatorial District or Zone C, as it is commonly called, is made up of nine out of the 23 Local Government Areas in the state and inhabited by the Idoma and Igede and other sub-ethnic groups. It is, therefore, one third of the Local Government and population of the state that has been languishing under exclusion from the state’s core governance structures. The Benue Rebirth Movement has continued to criticize and call for an end to the perpetuation of this awkward political arrangement. Unfortunately, the call for justice, equity and fairplay has brought BRM into collision with the major political parties in the state. While former Governor Samuel Ortom was on the saddle, he vehemently accused our National Coordinator of being an agent of the All Progessives Congress (APC) sponsored by the party to fight his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Here we are again after APC has won the recent governorship election in the state and is in the process of forming a new government. Contrary to our expectations and promises of change by APC, the emerging government appears to be toeing the same line of marginalization as his immediate predecessor, if not worsening it. This trend of injustice is what is being condemned by BRM, because we seek for fairness. Now, again, our National Coordinator is, unfortunately, being branded as a PDP agent being funded by Samuel Ortom to fight the APC government.
It is also known that some misguided elements who represent their selfish interests and ready to be used to destabilize Zone C unity are peddling lies that the concerned elders like Chief Audu Ogbe, former minister of Agriculture and General Lawrence Onoja, former military Governor of Katsina and Plateau states, asked for the sack of Senator George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). These are respected elders that have repeatedly adopted the path of peaceful engagement by appealing to the conscience of our Tiv brothers to realize the need for inclusive politics and governance in Benue state. They could not have called and did not call for the sack of Senator George Akume.
History will be fair to Air Vice-Marshal Morgan, a retired Airforce Fighter Pilot and former Chief of Defence Intelligence of the Nigerian Armed Forces, who has been in the forefront of this agitation. In the course of campaigning for justice for all and sundry in Benue State, he took his pleas to Their Royal Majesties, the Tor Tiv and the Ochidoma, other prominent leaders and sub-unit leaderships in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
Furthermore, the collaboration of all the three Senatorial Zones saw the emergence of the BRM youth wing made up of Tiv, Idoma, Jukun and Etulo youths. Similarly, in support of the BRM cause, a Tiv volunteer group supporting power shift in the state has come into existence.
It should be noted, that immediately APC won the election, the National Coordinator visited the SGF and APC Leader in the state, Senator George Akume in Makurdi to congratulate him. He also paid a visit to the Governor-elect, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, before his swearing in, to congratulate him and pleaded for political inclusion for all minority groups – Idoma, Igede, Jukun, Etulo, and others.
An astute diplomat that he is, Retired AVM Morgan accepted to serve in the Governor Alia Transition Committee where he contributed hugely to the formulation of the new government’s security blue print. He has since then been a familiar face in SGF’s house to show solidarity.
All these gestures to former Governor Ortom, SGF and Governor Alia show the Retired Air-Marshal’s pragmatic leadership qualities and his constructive approach to the pursuit of inclusive representation and governance in the state. Even with his military background, his philosophy “AGITATION IS NOT WAR” remains his watch word.
Benue Rebirth Movement will continue to be resolute in its campaign for justice, equity and fairplay no matter the blackmail by some political lackies in the state. Their unsubstantiated negative outbursts against our respected National Coordinator and Elders of Zone C will not deter our resolve to fight for minority rights in Benue state.
At this point, the questions we want to ask our political leaders in Benue state are:
- For how long shall Zone C be excluded from the well-oiled and well-respected zoning and rotation of the positions of state Governor and Speaker, Benue state House of Assembly among the Tiv-Speaking components of zones A and B?
- Relatedly, for how long shall the position of Deputy Governor remain in Zone C? And, putting the question differently, if the position of state Deputy Governor is worth anything, how come the Tiv-speaking Zones A and B do not want to have anything to do with it?
- Considering the past, present and the emerging scenario, is it conceivable to have an Idoma or Igede Governor, a Tiv Deputy governor, an Etulo or Jukun SSG or Speaker in Benue State?
As we ponder on the answers to these questions, the dream of Benue Rebirth Movement is to achieve political emancipation for all sons and daughters of Benue state irrespective of their ethnic group of origin.
To give hope to the ethnic minorities of realizing this dream, we call on the State Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia and the state APC Leader and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to, in the immediate and short run, consciously redress the existing imbalance in appointments into key positions at both the Federal and state levels. Governor Alia can do this at the state level by balancing substantive appointments into state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), especially those which are being run at the moment by appointees on Acting capacity. Senator Akume can do same at the federal level, possibly, in consultation with the state Governor.
In the long run, however, it will be desirable to effect a constitutional amendment to provide for the rotation of the positions of Governor, Senator, House of Representatives, etc, among components of various constituencies to take care of the rights and yearnings of their minorities or sub-units.
Signed: BRM PMC