By Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A former Ex-officio Member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North Central Zone, Dr. Jonah Ogbaji, has called on the Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM) to set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee that would engender internal unity necessary for the actualization of a Benue State Governor of Zone C in 2023.
The medical practitioner who represented the Igede Nation at the first stakeholders meeting of BRM held at Otukpo on Thursday, November 26, said his recommended committee would go round groups and gauge the impulses of the people with a view to reconciling the aggrieved parties and engendering equity and justice among stakeholders in Zone C.
Dr. Ogbaji, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of “Igede in 2023 Movement”, a nonpartisan group of Igede politicians and professionals working with the BRM to ensure that the next governor of Benue State comes from Benue South Senatorial District, charged BRM to start the rebirth and advocacy from within and see to the correction of imbalances within the Zone.
He told the gathering that Igede people believe and are committed to the causes being pursued by BRM, especially in fighting the age-long injustice of unbalanced political representation, unfair treatment, inequalities and marginalization of any kind.
Ogbaji pointed out that just like the Tivs of Zones A and B have monopolized the governorship seat, Igede people too have never been Senator or Minister like their counterparts.
Speaking earlier at a meeting of Igede in 2023 Movement in Makurdi, November 25, Dr. Isaac Egboja, a former Board Chairman of National Veterinary Research Institute, (Vom), Plateau State, and Deputy National Coordinator of BRM, chronicled the circumstances that heralded the formation of Benue Rebirth Movement, and his emergence as the Deputy Coordinator of the movement.
He narrated the tortuous journey so far and the personalities so far consulted, saying the feedbacks from all the consultations so far were encouraging and a pointer to the fact that the time to act is now, as nobody can stop an idea whose time has come.
He advised, however, that going forward, the Igede people should be mindful of their approach, action, tone and diction used in their advocacies for equitable power distribution in Benue South in particular and Benue state in general in order to avoid inflaming frayed nerves.
Mr. Amity Ijuo, Chairman,Team of Administrators of Igede in 2023 Movement, charged Igede stakeholders to deploy their intellect, finance and contacts to change the negative narratives of political representation in the state.