Power and Exclusion: The Long Wait for an Idoma Governor in Benue
By Matthew Eloyi
For five decades since the creation of Benue State, one political reality has remained stubbornly unchanged: the Idoma people, the second-largest ethnic group in the state, have never produced a governor. This is not merely a coincidence of electoral arithmetic; it is the product of history, demographics, political structure and, frankly, a persistent failure of imagination about what inclusive leadership should look like in a diverse democracy.
The Idoma, who largely occupy Benue South Senatorial District, have long participated actively in the political and economic life of the state. Yet the governorship has rotated exclusively within the Tiv-dominated zones. The most obvious explanation is numbers. Politics in Nigeria is, at its core, a game of majorities, and the Tiv population advantage has consistently translated into electoral dominance. Political parties, driven by the logic of winning elections, tend to field candidates from areas perceived to have the highest vote banks. In that calculation, Benue South has repeatedly been treated as electorally expendable.
But demography alone does not tell the full story. Internal fragmentation within Idoma political ranks has also played a significant role. Too often, when opportunities have emerged, multiple aspirants from the zone have split support, weakening their bargaining power at party primaries and in coalition negotiations. Politics rewards organisation and discipline. Without a unified front and a consensus strategy, even the most legitimate aspirations can dissolve into missed chances.
There is also the question of political culture. Benue’s informal power arrangements have never matured into a respected, enforceable zoning framework that guarantees rotational equity among its constituent groups. While the language of fairness is frequently invoked during campaigns, it has rarely translated into binding commitments. The result is a lingering sense of exclusion among the Idoma, a sentiment that quietly erodes trust in the state’s political architecture.
Yet the continued absence of an Idoma governor is not just an Idoma problem; it is a Benue problem. A democracy thrives when all major segments of society see themselves reflected in its highest offices. Inclusion is not charity; it is a stabilising force. When large communities feel perpetually locked out of power, resentment accumulates, and political competition hardens along ethnic lines. That is a dangerous trajectory for any plural society.
If the Idoma are to break this long-standing barrier, the path forward must be deliberate and strategic. First, unity is non-negotiable. The zone must learn to subordinate personal ambition to collective interest by rallying around a broadly acceptable candidate early in the political cycle. Consensus building among traditional leaders, political elites and grassroots organisations can transform scattered influence into a formidable bloc.
Second, the Idoma project must reach beyond ethnic boundaries. Winning the governorship in a heterogeneous state requires alliances that cut across zones. This means crafting a message that speaks to shared concerns: security, infrastructure, youth unemployment and economic growth, rather than framing the quest solely as an ethnic entitlement. Voters are more likely to support a candidate who embodies a statewide vision than one perceived as representing a sectional agenda.
Third, political engagement must be sustained, not seasonal. Grassroots mobilisation, voter education and strategic participation in party structures should be continuous efforts. Real power in Nigerian politics is often built long before election season, in the quiet work of networking, negotiation and institution-building.
Ultimately, the emergence of an Idoma governor would signal more than a symbolic victory; it would mark a maturation of Benue’s democratic ethos. It would affirm that leadership in the state is not the inheritance of any single group but a shared trust that can circulate among its diverse peoples. For Benue to move forward as a cohesive political community, it must embrace the principle that inclusion strengthens everyone.
The time has come for the Idoma to organise with clarity and purpose, and for the rest of Benue to recognise that equitable power sharing is not a concession, but an investment in the state’s long-term unity and stability.
