District head appointment sparks tension in Benue, community petitions Gov Alia

Tension is mounting in Ingle Edumoga Community of Ingle/Okpale Ward, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, following a dispute over the appointment of the new District Head of Edumoga.

Elders, youths and other stakeholders from the community have petitioned Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, urging him to halt what they described as an attempt to undermine the traditional rotational arrangement governing succession to the stool.

In the petition, also copied to traditional and political leaders in the area, the community accused its monarch, who also chairs the Okpokwu Council of Chiefs, of allegedly orchestrating moves to bypass Ingle Edumoga and installing a candidate from another ward that had already occupied the position.

The three-page petition was signed by the Chairman of Ingle Community, Mr Gabriel Ugboyi Ogwuchea; National Matron/Women Leader, Mrs Elizabeth Ochada; and National Youth Leader, Engr Joseph Otobo.

The petitioners described the alleged move as “a gross injustice, abuse of traditional authority and a deliberate attempt to subvert the long-standing rotational system of leadership” in the Edumoga Chiefdom.

“We, on behalf of the peace-loving people, elders, youths and stakeholders of Ingle Edumoga in Ingle/Okpale Ward, wish to draw Your Excellency’s urgent attention to the ongoing manipulation by Chief James Okefe to arbitrarily bypass our ward and hand the stool to an individual from another ward that has already taken its turn,” the petition read.

According to the community, the position of District Head has, for decades, been filled through an agreed zoning and rotational arrangement designed to guarantee fairness, equity and peaceful coexistence among the constituent wards.

The petitioners maintained that available records clearly show that other wards within the chiefdom have completed their respective turns, insisting that Ingle Edumoga is next in line to produce the District Head.

“For the sake of fairness, peace and traditional administrative equity, it is indisputably the turn of Ingle Edumoga to produce the next District Head,” they stated.

They warned that any attempt to disregard the established arrangement could trigger unrest and undermine peace in both Okpokwu Local Government Area and Benue State.

The community further claimed that their position had already been endorsed during an expanded meeting of ward heads held at the palace of the 3rd Class Chief of Edumoga, Chief Ojo Emmanuel Ochechema.

“At that meeting, all the ward heads unanimously agreed and affirmed that it is the rightful turn of Ingle Edumoga to produce the next District Head,” the petition stated.

The petitioners also levelled allegations of corruption against some traditional authorities, claiming the succession process had been compromised through financial inducements.

“We have strong reasons to believe, based on emerging facts within the locality, that this subversion of justice was heavily influenced by compromise and financial inducements involving key traditional authorities.

“Traditional institutions are meant to be custodians of truth and peace, not commercial enterprises where leadership positions are sold to the highest bidder at the expense of communal stability,” they alleged.

While stressing that the people of Ingle Edumoga remain peaceful and law-abiding, the petitioners warned that their patience should not be mistaken for weakness.

The community appealed to Governor Alia to immediately intervene by stopping any process aimed at swearing in or recognising anyone outside Ingle Edumoga as the next District Head.

They also urged the governor to order an independent investigation into the zoning and rotational history of the Edumoga District Head stool and compel the traditional council to strictly adhere to the established rotational principle.

According to them, only candidates nominated by Ingle Edumoga should be considered for the position in the interest of justice, equity and lasting peace.

District head appointment sparks tension in Benue, community petitions Gov Alia