YAKURR: Discontent is brewing in Idomi, Yakurr Local Government Area, Central Senatorial District, as APC members and aspirants voice their grievances over the alleged imposition of a councilor candidate by the former Commissioner for Lands, Prof. John Inyang, further deepening political divides within the community.
The controversy revolves around the nomination process for the Idomi Council Ward councillorship, where it is alleged that the former commissioner orchestrated the selection of his younger brother as the consensus candidate. Many in the community, including prominent figures and aspirants, argue that this move violates Idomi’s zoning arrangement and represents a consolidation of power within a single family.
Ebri Inyang, Clan Head of Kabale, Obokono 1 of Idomi, echoed the frustrations of many. He criticized the concentration of political influence within one family, noting that Prof. Inyang had already held office for eight years, and now his younger brother is being positioned to follow suit. “The family will take the chairmanship, and now his younger brother will take the councilorship. That means the family is in control of the entire Idomi, and this is why the sons and daughters of Idomi have risen to say no—let another family produce the councilor,” Inyang stated.
Several aspirants for the APC Idomi Council Ward expressed similar concerns. Martin Eni Junior, an aspirant, voiced his disappointment with the nomination process, alleging that the ward executives, who were supposed to organize a congress to select a consensus candidate, were coerced into accepting the former commissioner’s choice. “We are being threatened that no matter how far we go, since it is the APC, his brother must emerge as the next councilor of Idomi Ward,” he lamented.
Iferi Victor Bassey, another aspirant, described the process as lacking transparency, revealing that nine screened aspirants were locked out of the party secretariat during the primaries, only to later discover that a candidate had already been imposed. “We were not given the opportunity to participate in the primaries at the party secretariat,” Bassey explained, adding that “the entire Idomi community is dissatisfied.”
The imposition has sparked unrest, with some aspirants accusing the former commissioner of using threats and intimidation to secure his brother’s position. Prosper Ofem, one of the aggrieved aspirants, recounted how violence marred the process. “There was chaos, and I was told that the former Commissioner for Lands came with his team to hijack the process, even forcing people to step down for his brother,” Ofem said, adding that some were threatened with firearms.
Arikpo Omini, another aspirant, expressed that his frustrations stem not from financial costs incurred during the race, but from his desire to see Idomi properly represented. He called for a leader who would “listen to the people and liberate Idomi,” while condemning the imposition of candidates as a violation of fairness and justice.
When contacted about the allegations, Prof. John Inyang denied them, stating, “It’s not true.” He further explained, “A 50-member APC caucus, as approved by the state APC executive, met and adopted zoning in line with party guidelines. According to the traditional zoning process, which has produced nine councilors from 1989 to 2023, the recent zoning favored Kekowa, my village, after 32 years. In Kekowa, my brother, who is the immediate past chapter youth leader, was the only candidate, and his village presented him to the caucus as the sole candidate from the zone.”
As tensions continue to rise, many in the community, along with APC aspirants, are calling for a resolution that respects the will of the people and adheres to the zoning arrangement meant to ensure equitable representation across Idomi’s various factions.