A chieftain of the ruling the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) in Benue State, Chief Abu King Shuluwa, has ruled out the possibility of the Idoma ethnic group producing the governor of the state.

Chief Shuluwa in an interview with Daily Trust newspaper declared that the Tivs cannot allow an Idoma to become governor because the Idoma are clannish.

Answering a question on the possibility of zoning the 2015 governorship in the state, Chief Shuluwa, who is currently vice chairman of the PDP Elders’ Forum in Benue State, said:

“Generally, zoning favours individuals. As it is in the state today, if we want to strictly follow zoning, we will say the governorship slot should go to Idoma. But the question is that who is that Idoma person that would be acceptable to the whole of us? To be honest, when the Idoma man is at the helm of affairs, he forgets the Tiv man completely. So the argument is that; if you give them governor, will they ever remember the Tiv man? I have been in a board before at the national level where opportunities were given to me, I gave one each to the three zones in the state but it is never like that with the Idoma. Let me say this; it is the fear that Idoma man would take everything if given the governor that is making the Tiv man to hesitate. Otherwise, Zone C has credible persons for governorship. But the fear that they would take everything is so strong and only them can take away that fear. We want a detribalized person, someone who will look at Benue as a unit and pick up his team on merit.”

•Photo shows Benue PDP chieftain, Abu King Shuluwa.