BAD MARK’s POLITICS OF DIVIDE AND RULE As 2015 election draws near, the yearnings for a Governor of Benue State from the Idoma stalk may not be realistic. This is not because it is not possible for power to shift to Zone C but because some elite in the minority are making it impossible. The Tiv people have occupied the seat four times and the Idomas, Igedes, Utonko and Etulo are yet to have a taste of it. The people of Zone C (Idomas, Igedes, Utonko) were close to getting it when the former Governor of Benue State, Sen. George Akume wanted to hand over to a royal prince from the zone. Prior to that period, events were initiated to water the ground for this emergence. For instance, the Ochi’ Idoma with his palace Chiefs paid a royal traditional courtesy call to the Tor Tiv - it was the first of its kind in post-colonial times. The first lady of the Tiv kingdom and wife of the Tor Tiv (an Idoma woman) was always invited for government functions and special Tiv gatherings. Jingles that promoted Tiv and Idoma unity were played daily on Radio Benue. This proactive and noble initiative was however obliterated when some people from the zone came up with an argument that the prince was not a “core” son of Zone C. Then David Mark became the Senate President and came up with his agenda to perpetuate himself as life Senator of Zone C, using all his political paraphernalia and shenanigans to build embers of bitterness amongst the Tiv and Idomas; polarizing the friendship that existed between the Tiv and Idomas by unjustly allocating Federal job slots meant for the Tiv people to the Idomas so that the Tiv people will complain and the Idomas will see him as the Messiah of the ethnic war he created. He deliberately killed the ratio of distribution of Federal appointments as enshrined in the Federal character commission for Benue state, using his power (since we have a weak president) to muscle Federal appointments for his friends, relations and their children under the guise of empowering the Idomas. If you follow his appointments carefully, you will notice that they are mainly for the people in Otukpo area (apologies to my friends in this area). I don’t subscribe to the Federal character system and I will like it to be scrapped because it inhibits meritocracy. If we must however allow it to exist, then we must follow it justly. Same David Mark as Senate President for 8 years cannot influence the establishment of an industry in Otukpo or the dualisation of Abuja – Lafia- Makurdi-Enugu road to reduce the risk members of his constituency face when they travel North or South of Nigeria. He flies his Helicopter so he does not give a damn if students of Benue State University or Uni Agric from his senatorial zone die of accident while travelling to school due to the dilapidated state of the Makurdi - Otukpo road (My home town is next to his so I know he doesn’t travel by road). The political relationship Akume managed to build between the Tiv and Idomas has been broken by this man whose sole intention is to remain the ‘Okpopokwulu’ Idoma (whirlwind) for his political advantage and to the detriment of any other Idoma man that may want to rise politically in the State. These are the kind of people that the youths who believe in the greater Benue should vote out of power. I know he will still come up with same old sentiment and campaign slogan – APA state. To those who want to listen, the average Tiv man is not happy with the way David Mark is going against the Federal Character System through the provision of Federal jobs for only his family and political associates. If you need something from a big brother, you don’t dance on his head but you kneel at his feet. In essence, what I am saying is that it was easier for power to shift to zone C in 2007 than it is now. I heard some young Idoma guys are planning to organize a 10, 000 man protest if an Idoma man fails to win the PDP gubernatorial primaries. My advice for them is that they should relax, politics is a game of numbers; you don’t win the majority by protesting and disturbing public peace, you win them by establishing a negotiation process, ushered with a maximum ingredient of diplomacy.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 09:45:38 +0000
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