A group under the aegis of Benue Youths Frontiers for Democracy have decried the continuous marginalisation of other ethnic groups in the State as it concerns appointment into certain position.
The group particularly berated the recent composition of ministerial désignation which it described as violating the provisions of the constitution.
Convener of the group, Daniel Atayi in a petition to President Tinubu averred that, the ministerial nomination from Benue State does not reflect Federal Character and disregards fairness, equity and balance of political power.
They further called on the president and other decision makers to further look at, and address the situation before it further escalates.
The full text of the petition reads below:
BENUE YOUTH FRONTIERS FOR DEMOCRACY.
His Excellency,
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR,
President And Commander -In- Chief of the Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Aso Villa, FCT - Abuja.
Your Excellency Sir,
BENUE MINISTERIAL NOMINATION BREACHES AND CONTRADICTS SECTION 14. SUB-SECTION 3 OF THE 1999 CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC AS AMENDED.
Your Excellency, we are a Civil Society Organization committed to the defense and promotion of Democracy in Nigeria.
We wish to draw your attention to a serious desecration and breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which you swore to uphold and abide by, during your inauguration as the President of Nigeria in the recent nomination of Ministers from the various States of the Federation.
It is paramount to mention specifically that the ministerial nomination from Benue - a multi Ethnic State, does not reflect Federal Character, neither express concern nor regard for fairness, equity, political inclusiveness and or balance of political power!
Permit us to refer you to Section 14.Subsection 3 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, which states emphatically that:
"The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its Agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal Characters of Nigeria and the need to promote National Unity, and also to command National Loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no PREDOMINANCE of Persons from a few State or from a few ETHNIC or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies".
May we bring to your notice that the composition of the Government of Benue State presently, i.e. the Seat of the Governor, the Secretary to the Government of the State (SSG), the Chief of Staff to the Governor, The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Judge of the State, Head of key Ministries, Department and Agencies of Government etc all comes from the Tiv Speaking area (Zone A & B) of the State while other ethnic groups such as the Idoma's, Igede's, Ufia's, Etilo's etc. with little numerical strength and often refers to as Minority Tribes, are left with deputies position and treated as second class Citizens.
At the Federal level, since the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume who happens to come from the Tiv Ethnic group that has already dominated and occupied all critical political positions at the State Government level, every Citizen of Benue State were thinking and hopeful that the Ministerial Slot/Nominee for Benue State will certainly come from the Idoma/Igede axis otherwise known as Benue South (Zone C) in the interest of fairness, equity, promotion of unity, inclusiveness and for the sake of balance/even distribution of political powers!
We were all shocked and surprised to see and know during the unveiling of the ministerial Nominees' list by the Senate President at the National Assembly, that the Benue Ministerial Nominee, Prof. Joseph Utsev still came from the Tiv ethnic group in the State even while there are alot of qualified Professionals, Technocrats, loyal and hardworking party- APC Men and Women from the Idoma/Igede ethnic group that suite and merit such position.
We are bothered and compel to ask at this point that, does appointing a Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) and a cabinet Minister, all from same ETHNIC group (TIV) from a multi-Ethnic State like Benue into the President Tinubu led Federal Government (Cabinet) not amount to breach or violation of S.14,S.s 3 of the Nigeria's Constitution?
Does such act alone not amount to promotion of inequality, unfairness, injustice and encourages political marginalization, shortchanging and suffocation of other ethnic groups in Benue State?
And if such political marginalization, injustice and domination is allowed to stand, then, what will be the fate and future of the Minority Ethnic Groups, particularly, the Idoma People of Nigeria?
As a matter of fact, Benue South Senatorial district, which has several dialects, namely- the Idoma, Igede, Ufia, Eza, Ezis, Utonkon etc, and was hitherto, a strong hold of the PDP due to the firm structure of Leaders such as Senator David Mark and Comrade Senator Abba Moro, unexpectedly gave an unimaginable massive votes to the All Progressive Congress, APC during the Presidential/NASS election - a situation that led to APC securing 3 House of Representatives Seats out of the 4 Federal Constituency Seats in Benue South, but narrowly lost the Senatorial Seat to the then incumbent PDP Senator, Abba Moro.
We are also very much aware that the Benue South Senatorial District, which comprises of Nine (9) larger Local Government Areas' have suffered much Political marginalization, domination and oppression in the hands of the Tiv speaking Two Senatorial Zones with Seven Local Government Areas each, and we urge you to address this injustice and bring succour to the Benue South Senatorial Zone by ceding the Benue Ministerial slot to them in order to calm fraying nerves in the zone!
The fact being that since the creation of the State in 1976 from Benue-Plateau, the Zone C People, despite their competence, reputable educational background and outstanding successes in both the private and public sectors and all facets of life, have been excluded from the Seat of Governor, as they have never produced the Governor of the State right from the military regimes down to this democratic era .
Aside the number One Seat of the State Government, administratively, they are always placed at second fiddle positions. Even with the high number of renowned Professors and experts they had, they have never been appointed as Vice Chancellor of Benue State University.
As Youth Group in the defense and promotion of democracy, we appeal to you, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; The SGF, Senator Dr. George Akume; The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the Leadership of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; The Ministry of Justice; The National Security Adviser; The National Human Right Commission; The Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia and the National Leadership of the All Progressive Congress- APC, to follow the path of patriotism, fairness, equity, and the democratic antecedents recorded by predecessors of same Offices, to ensure that the Ministerial slot allocated to Benue State is given to the Benue South people otherwise known as the Zone C Senatorial District of the State.
We acknowledge that democracy in the Third World countries, no longer enforce the principle of 'majority takes it all' again'. It is now all about enforcement of human rights, fairness, equity, justice, the rule of law and the will of the people.
Signed:
Comrade Daniel Edoache Atayi,
President, Benue Youth Frontiers For Democracy, (Okpokwu LGA),
Tel. +2348137015949
Comrade Samson Akombo,
Vice President (Makurdi LGA
Tel. +2348038810483
Comrade Aer Gabriel (Kwande LGA) Tel:08072200005
Comrade Adaje Inalegwu,
PRO, (Oju LGA)
Tel: +2348078711557
Comrade Solomon Ogidi,
Ex. Officio (Buruku LGA)
Tel.+2347064545624
Cc:
The Vice President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Senator Kashim Shettima, GCFR
The Senate c/o Senator Abba Moro, representing Zone C of Benue State,
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation-SGF Senator George Akume,
Governor Of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia
Ministry of Justice,
The National Security Adviser,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
National Human Rights Commission.
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