The Benue State Government on Tuesday faulted a socio-cultural group of the Idoma people known as Ochetoha K’Idoma for rejecting the emergence of a new Och’Idoma, Dr John Elaigwu Odogbo, as the paramount leader of the Idoma Kingdom.
The group had on Sunday rejected the process of the recently concluded election of a new Och’Idoma after Dr Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, Och’Idoma IV, embarked on a permanent hunting expedition in October.
Addressing a news conference in Makurdi, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development who is presently overseeing the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Dennis Ekpe Ogbu, said it was rather unfortunate that a seemingly respectable organisation like Ochetoha K’Idoma would come out with a statement disparaging a process adjudged to be fair and transparent, yet failed to point at specific instances of a misnomer.
“As the leader of the committee that conducted the election, I hereby reaffirm the credibility, transparency, fairness and strict adherence to due process and the provisions of the Benue State Chieftaincy Law 2016 throughout the process of the election that produced the Och’Idoma elect.
“I have received congratulatory messages from well-meaning people of Idoma Kingdom for conducting a peaceful and transparent election that has brought forth the paramount ruler elect,” he said.
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