Commissioner for Finance in Benue State, David Olofu, has stated that he has never been against an Idoma Governorship aspiration nor contesting to be deputy Governor come 2023.
Olofu made this clarifications while reacting to allegations leveled against him by a group called Olohi Ka’Idoma, who accused him of a hidden aspiration of deputising the Tiv consensus candidate in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Titus Uba.
The group had also alleged that the Commissioner, an Idoma man, from Apa Local Government Area, was against Idoma governorship agenda in 2023.
Olofu described the allegation that he was working towards becoming the deputy governorship of the ruling PDP against the governorship aspiration of the Idoma people as not only unfounded but also mischievous.
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He told the Next Edition in Makurdi, that with the nomination of the incumbent Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, as the Idoma consensus candidate in PDP, it is a pointer that the people were on the right track.
Olofu who noted that the Idoma people have never been as united and sincere in their agitation like this time said “Since 1999, this is the only time Idoma people would unanimously present one single candidate for PDP primaries. This is a good hope for us as a people and I pray it eventually ends in praise.”
He said that like other illustrious sons and daughters of Idoma nation, he, Olofu, has made contributions towards the actualisation of Idoma governorship agenda, saying those in doubt should crosscheck with the Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM) under the leadership of AVM Monday Morgan, rtd.
The Commissioner who stated that an Idoma governorship can still be realized advised his Idoma kinsmen, especially, various agitating groups, such as Olohi Ka’Idoma, to heed to the advice of Governor Samuel Ortom, by ensuring continuous lobbying of the Tiv stakeholders for possible understanding before the primaries.
He further said, “those behind the reports that he was contesting to be deputy governor were hallucinating”, as there was nothing to suggest such move.
“Those who are conversant with political party activities and electioneering process in Nigeria would agree with me that, no one talks about deputy governorship of a state, except the governorship candidate emerges in the party, after primaries.
“How can one be talking about deputy governorship when we are yet to know who would fly the flag of the party? As a matter of fact, deputy governorship position is not like other positions that are contestable. It’s usually zoned to a particular area and the stakeholders from the area would meet and present an acceptable candidate that can also help the party win general elections.
“To say one is contesting for deputy governorship position even when primaries are not yet done, is not only misleading, it is also unfounded and mischievous. It is the figment of the imagination of those who are peddling it.
“But I tell you, none of their antics would stop me or the party from standing by the truth or supporting a course that is people oriented and widely acceptable. No one would coerce me into supporting an unjust or unfair aspiration of any individual. I shall continue to work together with the like minds and leaders of the party, to ensure equity, fairness, justice and equitable distribution of positions and dividends of democracy.”
