2027 Polls: Idoma Community Vows to Vote Out Non-Performing Leaders, Tells Them What to Prioritise

• The Idoma diaspora community has urged political, traditional, and community leaders in Benue South to prioritise security, accountability, and infrastructure development
• At its 29th Annual Convention, the Idoma Association USA pledged diaspora support for agricultural renewal, youth empowerment, and security initiatives
• Delegates warned that leaders who fail to deliver progress should be voted out in the 2027 elections

Houston, Texas - The Idoma diaspora community has called on political, traditional and community leaders in Benue South, also known as Zone C, to prioritise security, accountability and infrastructure development to address long-standing challenges in the region.

At the 29th Annual Convention of the Idoma Association USA, delegates said insecurity, poor infrastructure and weak governance were the greatest obstacles to peace and prosperity in Idomaland.

Legit.ng gathers that the three-day convention, held in Houston under the theme “Strengthening Agriculture and Enhancing Community Safety in Idomaland,” ended with a communiqué pledging diaspora support for agricultural renewal, youth empowerment and security initiatives.

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2027 elections: Benue leaders get warning

The delegates urged Benue leaders to maintain regular and direct engagement with their constituents and deliver tangible results, warning that underperforming politicians will be voted out in the 2027 general elections.

"Elected leaders and public officials must be held accountable for delivering results in both security and development. Those who fail to bring progress should be voted out in 2027," the communique partly read.

The event drew key figures, including the Och’Idoma of Idoma Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Agabaidu Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John; Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by Deputy Governor Sam Ode; and other political leaders and stakeholders.

In his remarks, the president of Idoma Association USA, Dr. Prince Edwin Ochai, commended the Och’Idoma’s leadership. He pledged increased diaspora investment in agriculture and security, just as he also emphasised sustainable farming practices, farmer cooperatives and technology adoption as key to reviving the local economy.

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Benue: Security and agriculture listed as priorities

Also speaking, the Och’Idoma, Agabaidu Elaigwu, reiterated the importance of peace and security, calling on the diaspora to invest in modern farming methods such as irrigation and mechanisation to unlock the region’s economic potential.

Governor Alia, who spoke through his deputy, said the state government was tackling insecurity with specialised squads and community vigilantes.

He made reference to ongoing infrastructure projects in Zone C, including road works and the Otobi–Otukpo water rehabilitation scheme, urging Benue indigenes in the diaspora to invest in health, education and agro-processing ventures.

Benue: Experts call for stronger community defence

Keynote speaker Rev Fr. Philemon Adem Okoh, President of the DMV Chapter of the association, decried escalating insecurity in Benue South, citing killings, displacement and farmland seizures. He called for professionalised vigilante groups, accountability among leaders and the return of displaced people to their ancestral lands.

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Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, President General of Ochetoha K’Idoma, urged the diaspora to drive innovation in agriculture, including cassava-based pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, while strengthening education and research institutions in the zone.

In its final communiqué, the Idoma Association USA stated that:

• Security is the foremost priority for protecting lives and heritage.
• Traditional rulers must remain steadfast in defending communities, with transparent processes in their selection.
• Agriculture should be revived through irrigation, crop diversification and cooperatives.
• Leaders who fail to deliver results will be voted out in 2027.
• Youth employment is critical to tackling insecurity and driving development.
• Cultural heritage must be preserved as a source of unity and resilience.

Delegates pledged to strengthen security, transform agriculture and promote unity within Idomaland, reaffirming support for the Idoma Traditional Area Council under the leadership of the Och’Idoma.

Alia seeks FG partnership to strengthen wealth creation

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the governor of Benue state, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, reiterated his administration's dedication to turning the state into a thriving economic centre through targeted investments in solid minerals, agriculture, and infrastructure development.

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This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Tersoo Kula, on Monday, August 4.

According to the statement, the development was revealed during an inspection visit by a delegation from the Benue State Government and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) presented and reviewed the Natural Resources Development Fund (NRDF) Grant Report, which Governor Alia termed the interaction a 'defining moment' in Benue's quest for sustainable development.

Source: Legit.ng