The endorsement of Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, for a second term in office by the Tiv Traditional Council (TTC) has drawn fierce backlash, with the Good Governance Initiative (GGI) describing the move as “premature, politically choreographed, and a dangerous deviation from tradition.”
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, GGI accused the council of partisanship, warning that the decision could plunge the Tiv Nation into crisis ahead of the 2027 general election.
“This is not recognition of performance; it is political choreography,” the group declared. “Traditional rulers should be the conscience of society, not cheerleaders for those in power. The people want results, not rituals of endorsement.”
The GGI said the council’s stance undermines its neutrality and betrays its moral duty as the custodian of Tiv heritage. “The endorsement looks like an attempt to sanitise political loyalty rather than reward leadership,” the statement added.
The Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty Orchivirigh Prof. James Iorzua Ortese Ayatse, had on Saturday in Gboko declared the council’s support for Governor Alia, hailing his administration as “visionary and transformative.”
But, the pronouncement has since sparked a flurry of mixed reactions. A coalition of youth groups in Gboko threatened legal action, insisting that the TTC’s endorsement violated constitutional provisions barring traditional rulers from partisan politics.
“The council should learn from history and steer clear of political entanglements,” the coalition warned. “Such actions divide the Tiv Nation and erode the dignity of the traditional stool.”
Defending the move, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, said the endorsement reflected the people’s confidence in Alia’s leadership. He described it as “a historic vote of confidence in a governor whose record of peace-building, infrastructure renewal, and governance reform speaks for itself.”
But, GGI dismissed Kula’s defence as “official rhetoric masking unfulfilled promises.”
“If governance is truly transformative, the people will feel it,” political commentator Terngu Tor added. “You don’t measure performance by royal applause but by citizens’ lived experiences.”
Observers said the row has widened the gap between perception and performance in Benue’s political landscape — and placed the Tiv traditional institution under growing scrutiny over its role in partisan politics.
