A socio-political group, Ebira People Association (EPA), has called on the Kogi state government to ensure rotation of the chairmanship of the State Traditional Council, Kogi Latest Report.
The President General of the association, Dr. Abdulrahman Adeiza, made the call in a press statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday. He stated that EPA proposed the rotation of the chairman of the state traditional council among Ebira, Kotonkarfe/ Lokoja, Igala and Okun area traditional councils. He added that in order to sustain the assurance of unity and sense of belonging, EPA is of the strong opinion that restricting the seat of the chairmanship of the council of chiefs in a senatorial district for over twenty nine years is a threat to the current fragile peace in the state.
Abdulrahman commended the current administration in the state for ensuring equitable distribution of political appointments and leadership roles, which he said has contributed largely to the relative peace, declining suspicion and hatred among the component ethnic groups in the state. “Kogi state is of plural ethnic setting and none of the ethnic groups has been known to conquer the other. The current practice relegates other kingdoms or chiefdoms to a slavish status of mere vassals “It has the potential of fueling crisis among the ethnic groups in the state as it divides state along tribal sentiments.
We hasten to add that the rotation of the chairmanship of the traditional council among all the kingdoms will avail the restore a lasting peace among various tribes in the state as it will create a sense of belonging and recognition among the first class chiefs and even thier subjects.
We therefore reiterating the demand of EPA on behalf of the good people of Kogi central that the demand for the rotation of the chairmanship of the traditional council is both constitutional and legitimate as it is clear today in Nigeria that no tribe rules over another in any state as each ethnic group is recognized on the basis of their reign and existence,” he said.
Abdulrahman said the state traditional council law should define the tenure of every occupant of the seat that where an area traditional council has more than one eligible candidate for the position, such area council should make arrangement to rotate the position when it comes to its turn.
