Process, election of Och’Idoma fair, transparent ― Benue govt

Odogbo receiving his certificate of return as Och'Idoma

Benue State Government has said that the process leading to the election of Och’Idoma, the paramount ruler of Idomaland, Pastor John Odogwu, was fair and transparent.

Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Ekpe Ogbu, stated this while reacting to the controversy that trailed the election of the Deeper Life pastor as Och’Idoma on December 30, 2021.

It will be recalled that the Idoma socio-cultural organization, ‘Ochetoha K’Idoma’, in a statement by its President, AVM Toni Adokwu (retd) rejected the process leading to the election of the pastor.

But the commissioner said that the organization failed to point at specific instances of a misnomer.

According to Ogbu, “I am reaffirming 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.

“The statement did not point out a single provision of the Chieftaincy Law 2016 that was abused. This law has been used in the past to elect first class, second class and third class chiefs successfully in Idoma Land without complaint from any quarter including Ochetoha K’Idoma. It is the same law that was used to elect the new Och’Idoma and no provision of the law was breached in the process.

“On the allegation of interference by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, nothing can be further from the truth! The governor had assured the people of Idoma that he was not going to interfere and he kept to his promise.

“For Ochetoha K’Idoma to turn around and accuse him (governor) of interference is the most uncharitable thing to allege.”

Ogbu advised the organization to be impartial and protective of all the candidates in the race.

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