The youth arm of the Idoma apex socio-cultural group, Ochetoha K’Idoma, has distanced itself from a rally held in support of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia in Makurdi on Thursday.
Daily Post reports that while victims of Fulani herdsmen attacks are languishing in hospitals and families of the deceased are mourning, a group of Benue State youths and women on Thursday staged a rally in Makurdi to support the present administration.
The youths, under the aegis of pro-Tinubu/Alia support groups, stormed major streets of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, drumming support for second terms for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia.
They brandished placards with inscriptions such as: ‘Tiv, Idoma, Igede support Tinubu’, ‘Idoma, Tiv, Igede Youths are proud of you Alia’, and ‘No Alia, No Benue’, among others.
Reacting to the rally, the President of the Ochetoha K’Idoma youth wing, Comrade Mike Magaji, said no Idoma person was part of the rally.
He described the demonstrators as “hired hungry people”; who were paid to launder the image of President Tinubu and Governor Alia.
Speaking with Daily Post on Thursday evening, Magaji said the Idoma people are mourning their loved ones murdered by herdsmen and can never be part of any rally in support of those who failed to protect them.
He said, “We can never be part of such a shameful outing. Those were hired hungry people who were paid to launder the image of Mr President and Alia.
“It is a shame. So, we, Idoma youths, disassociate ourselves from any support group. We were not part of it and can never be part of any rally in support of those who have failed to protect us.
“It would be stupid to think that we would support someone who is not protecting our lives and property.”;
