The Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC) on Tuesday denied reports that it had endorsed Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia for a second term in office during its recent meeting, known as Ijirtamen.

Ijirtamen is the highest council meeting of the Tiv nation, presided over by the paramount ruler of the Tiv people worldwide, the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse.

Controversy erupted over the weekend after Governor Alia, through a statement by his spokesperson, Tersoo Kula, thanked the council for what he described as an endorsement of his re-election bid.

In the statement, the governor expressed “profound gratitude to the Ijir Tamen i Tiv (Supreme Council of the Tiv Nation), ably led by the Supreme Leader of the Tiv Nation, His Royal Majesty, Orchivirigh Prof James Iorzua Ortese Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, for endorsing him for a second term as Governor of Benue State.”

He added that the supposed endorsement “reaffirms the unity, wisdom, and foresight of our revered traditional institution.”

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, the Secretary of the Tiv Area Traditional Council, Shinyi Tyozua, clarified that the council merely offered royal blessings to the governor during its meeting held on Saturday in Gboko.

According to Tyozua, Governor Alia attended the meeting on special invitation and briefed the council on his administration’s achievements in key sectors such as health, education, ICT, agriculture, and infrastructure.

He said the governor also requested royal blessings for continued success beyond 2027, to which the traditional rulers responded with the customary gesture of blessing, a practice extended to any Tiv son or daughter seeking favour in personal or political pursuits.

Tyozua stressed that the gesture should not be mistaken for political endorsement.

“Royal fathers don’t endorse candidates for elections because they do not have that authority. What happened at the meeting in Gboko was royal blessing, not political endorsement,” the statement read. (Daily Trust)