The Ochetoha K’Idoma Youth Wing Worldwide has issued a strongly worded rejoinder condemning what it described as reckless insults and threats by Hon. Terver Gbenda, the Senior Special Assistant to the Benue State Governor on Illegal Levies and Support Groups, during a recent outing in Otukpo.
In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Magaji Mike Alidu, the group expressed deep pain, anger and disappointment over Gbenda’s alleged behaviour. It questioned how a governor’s aide could leave Makurdi, travel to Otukpo and indiscriminately warn and threaten Idoma youths in an apparent bid to force the entire Benue South to support Governor Hyacinth Alia. The youths described the action as not only reckless but an insult to their sensibilities as a people, stating that they felt deeply insulted, belittled and provoked.
The group maintained that any word from a governor’s appointee is considered a direct message from the Governor and the Benue State Government, and therefore holds the state government responsible for the alleged insult. It demanded an unreserved public apology from Gbenda to the people of Benue South within three days.
Should the apology not be forthcoming, the youth wing outlined several political consequences. These include openly declaring Governor Alia and his administration an enemy of Zone C, commencing statewide consultations to endorse one credible governorship opponent and working to ensure his victory across all nine local government areas of Benue South, mobilising its structure at home and in the diaspora for aggressive voter sensitisation, dismantling any political structure loyal to Gbenda in Zone C, and presenting a comprehensive scorecard of alleged neglect of the zone to campaign against the government.
The statement further asserted that Zone C is not a conquered territory and will never be threatened by anyone, no matter how highly placed. It highlighted the strengths of the Idoma nation, including its manpower, education, industriousness and significant mineral deposits such as oil and gas, limestone and coal. The group also issued a warning to local government chairmen and youths who allegedly encouraged or supported Gbenda’s comments, describing their actions as betrayal.
The Ochetoha K’Idoma Youth Wing Worldwide announced that a detailed press conference on the matter is forthcoming.
