The battle for the 2015 governorship election in Benue State has yet to begin in earnest, but there is a silent agitation by the various zones in the state to occupy the position. Even though, Governor Gabriel Suswam has on several occasion warned that it is too early to begin the 2015 politics, within the three senatorial zones in the state there is a rather underground move by various political blocks to occupy the exalted position. So far the idoma from Benue South senatorial zone have been very quiet over the 2015 governorship race but sources from the zone say there is an underground plot for the zone to launch a bid. According to an analyst, Gilbert Ejimbi, “The time for the Idoma’s to launch a bid for the governorship of the state is now. The governorship position, having gone through the Tiv speaking zone A and B senatorial zones, it is only natural it should go to the Benue South senatorial zone known as zone C.” The zone, which has never governed the state, made a strong showing during the 2007 governorship race when six prominent sons of the zone contested for the position. Among them were the state deputy governor, Chief Steve Lawani, Comrade Abah Moro, Chief Mike Onoja, Chief Ogiri Ajene, and Hon. Ralph Igbagwu. However, the agitation by the zone faded when some of the aspirants refused to come to a compromise to put forward a single candidate. To compound the woes of the Zone C people, some of its aspirants donated votes to Suswam to win the primaries. Zone C aspirants in the 2007 race came second, third and fourth, beating other Tiv top aspirants, except the Suswam. But the zone refused to come out for the 2011 election based on the understanding that the Benue North East of zone A, where Suswam hails from, should complete its second term just as the former governor, Senator George Akume from Benue North West of Zone B completed two terms, from 1999 to 2007. Idoma’s are basing the 2015 governorship ambition on this power sharing and zoning arrangement. One thing that may go for the zone is the position of the incumbent governor, who is a strong advocate of zoning and equal opportunity. The governor’s stand on zoning reflects most of his decisions during appointments and even in the recent local government PDP primaries, where he strongly advocated for zoning of the chairmanship positions to some minority groups in some local government areas. It is expected that the governor will follow the same pattern to give the Zone C people the opportunity to succeed him. Already, notable friends of the governor from the zone are being encouraged to take a short at the governorship position. A source told THISDAY that there is a strong move by a major Tiv dominated political group to lobby for the state deputy governor, Dr Steve Lawani, an Idoma, to succeed his boss in 2015. But some are ushing for the candidacy of the former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr Sam Ode, and the present Minister of Interior, Moro. However, analysts have identified three factors that would play a critical role in determining who will become the first Idoma to be the governor of the state. First, is the role of the influential Tiv traditional council, which has always sided with the Tiv agenda of a Tiv governor. “But with the current trend in the country, where minority tribes have been allowed to test governorship positions, like the case in Akwa-Ibom, Kaduna and even the country, where a minority President Jonathan is ruling, the traditional institution may rejig on its views and support a Zone C candidate for the first time,” said Ejimbi. Another factor is the influence of Senate President David Mark, who is an Idoma man from the zone. He has a critical role to play for the Idoma agitation as well as in the decision as to who the Idoma governor will be. Yet another factor is the agitation by the Idoma for a separate state. The zone is making a strong move for the creation of Apa State from the current Benue State and they have made a presentation to the National Assembly. If the agitation comes through, then the Idoma will be seeking the 2015 governorship in Apa State and the Tiv zoning formula will continue. But outside the idoma agitation in Zone C, the other two zones have also started openly agitating for the governorship position. In the Zone B or Benue North West, the agitation is high among the MINDA axis which comprises Guma , Gwer West, Gwer East and Makurdi. The zone, which produced Akume, who is from the Jemgba axis of the zone, comprising Terka, Buruku and Gboko local government areas, are arguing that the position be rotated to the zone based on the Tiv sharing formula among the children of its ancestral lineage, which excludes the idoma. Based on the arrangement that the governorship position has gone round the Tiv family lineages, such as the first civilian governor of the state, the late Aper Aku, who is from Kwande, which comprises Kwande and Ushongo local government areas; Moses Adasu from Jehchira, Konshisha and Vandeakya local government; Akume from Jemgba, which includes Tarka,Buruku and Gboko local government; and Suswam from Sankera which comprises Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala, the people feel it is only rational that it moves to MINDA, which is the only family of the Tivs that has not had the opportunity. The argument by people from the MINDA area has been punctured by agitation of the Jehchira and Ushongo people of Zone A who have thrown up arguments that there is an unwritten agreement that both the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation and the governor of Tiv extraction cannot come from the same zone. They made reference to when Aper Aku was to be governor in 1979 and a leading candidate for the throne of the Tor Tiv had to step down for Aku to become the governor. The Jehchira and Kwande families have also argued that on two occasions when they had the opportunity to govern the state, the military had truncated the process. Aku’s second term in 1983 was terminated by military intervention while Adasu was barely nine months in the saddle when the military once again took over. The zone is now demanding it completes its tenure. But MINDA Elders Forum in a press briefing disagreed with the argument by the Kwande and Jehchira families, saying that the story being told over the traditional tool is false. They argued that since Suswam was from Zone A, the position at the end of his tenure should move to the MINDA divide of Zone B. More over they pointed to the fact that under military rule, Governor Atom Kpera, who took over from Aper Aku, was from Jemgba extraction, like the Tor Tiv then, Dr Akperana Oshi. Already, pressure is being mounted on over 20 prominent sons of the zone to run the race. Among those being encouraged to run are the Minister for Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom; former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Prince Terhemen Tazoor; the Commissioner for Land and Survey John Tondo; Chairman, House of Representative Committee on FCT, Barrister Emmanuel Jime; Permanent Secretary, Government House Administration, Dr Tivlumun Nyitse; Permanent Secretary, Internal Affairs, Dr Hinga Biam; the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Eugene Aliegba, Prince Andy Uwoukwu; and the Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Alex Adum. From Zone A, PDP supporters are calling on the NAFDAC Director General, Dr Paul Orhii, who is seen as a good philanthropist, to contest. But some are pushing for the former Minister of Justice, Mike Aondaka, Senator Barnabas Gemade, and Honourable Heman Hembe. The various agitations and permutations are largely done in hushed tones and it may take some The battle for the 2015 governorship election in Benue State has yet to begin in earnest, but there is a silent agitation by the various zones in the state to occupy the position. Even though, Governor Gabriel Suswam has on several occasion warned that it is too early to begin the 2015 politics, within the three senatorial zones in the state there is a rather underground move by various political blocks to occupy the exalted position. So far the idoma from Benue South senatorial zone have been very quiet over the 2015 governorship race but sources from the zone say there is an underground plot for the zone to launch a bid. According to an analyst, Gilbert Ejimbi, “The time for the Idoma’s to launch a bid for the governorship of the state is now. The governorship position, having gone through the Tiv speaking zone A and B senatorial zones, it is only natural it should go to the Benue South senatorial zone known as zone C.” The zone, which has never governed the state, made a strong showing during the 2007 governorship race when six prominent sons of the zone contested for the position. Among them were the state deputy governor, Chief Steve Lawani, Comrade Abah Moro, Chief Mike Onoja, Chief Ogiri Ajene, and Hon. Ralph Igbagwu. However, the agitation by the zone faded when some of the aspirants refused to come to a compromise to put forward a single candidate. To compound the woes of the Zone C people, some of its aspirants donated votes to Suswam to win the primaries. Zone C aspirants in the 2007 race came second, third and fourth, beating other Tiv top aspirants, except the Suswam. But the zone refused to come out for the 2011 election based on the understanding that the Benue North East of zone A, where Suswam hails from, should complete its second term just as the former governor, Senator George Akume from Benue North West of Zone B completed two terms, from 1999 to 2007. Idoma’s are basing the 2015 governorship ambition on this power sharing and zoning arrangement. One thing that may go for the zone is the position of the incumbent governor, who is a strong advocate of zoning and equal opportunity. The governor’s stand on zoning reflects most of his decisions during appointments and even in the recent local government PDP primaries, where he strongly advocated for zoning of the chairmanship positions to some minority groups in some local government areas. It is expected that the governor will follow the same pattern to give the Zone C people the opportunity to succeed him. Already, notable friends of the governor from the zone are being encouraged to take a short at the governorship position. A source told THISDAY that there is a strong move by a major Tiv dominated political group to lobby for the state deputy governor, Dr Steve Lawani, an Idoma, to succeed his boss in 2015. But some are ushing for the candidacy of Dr Mathias Oyigeya MD Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, the former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr Sam Ode, and the present Minister of Interior, Moro. However, analysts have identified three factors that would play a critical role in determining who will become the first Idoma to be the governor of the state. First, is the role of the influential Tiv traditional council, which has always sided with the Tiv agenda of a Tiv governor. “But with the current trend in the country, where minority tribes have been allowed to test governorship positions, like the case in Akwa-Ibom, Kaduna and even the country, where a minority President Jonathan is ruling, the traditional institution may rejig on its views and support a Zone C candidate for the first time,” said Ejimbi. Another factor is the influence of Senate President David Mark, who is an Idoma man from the zone. He has a critical role to play for the Idoma agitation as well as in the decision as to who the Idoma governor will be. Yet another factor is the agitation by the Idoma for a separate state. The zone is making a strong move for the creation of Apa State from the current Benue State and they have made a presentation to the National Assembly. If the agitation comes through, then the Idoma will be seeking the 2015 governorship in Apa State and the Tiv zoning formula will continue. But outside the idoma agitation in Zone C, the other two zones have also started openly agitating for the governorship position. In the Zone B or Benue North West, the agitation is high among the MINDA axis which comprises Guma , Gwer West, Gwer East and Makurdi. The zone, which produced Akume, who is from the Jemgba axis of the zone, comprising Terka, Buruku and Gboko local government areas, are arguing that the position be rotated to the zone based on the Tiv sharing formula among the children of its ancestral lineage, which excludes the idoma. Based on the arrangement that the governorship position has gone round the Tiv family lineages, such as the first civilian governor of the state, the late Aper Aku, who is from Kwande, which comprises Kwande and Ushongo local government areas; Moses Adasu from Jehchira, Konshisha and Vandeakya local government; Akume from Jemgba, which includes Tarka,Buruku and Gboko local government; and Suswam from Sankera which comprises Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala, the people feel it is only rational that it moves to MINDA, which is the only family of the Tivs that has not had the opportunity. The argument by people from the MINDA area has been punctured by agitation of the Jehchira and Ushongo people of Zone A who have thrown up arguments that there is an unwritten agreement that both the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation and the governor of Tiv extraction cannot come from the same zone. They made reference to when Aper Aku was to be governor in 1979 and a leading candidate for the throne of the Tor Tiv had to step down for Aku to become the governor. The Jehchira and Kwande families have also argued that on two occasions when they had the opportunity to govern the state, the military had truncated the process. Aku’s second term in 1983 was terminated by military intervention while Adasu was barely nine months in the saddle when the military once again took over. The zone is now demanding it completes its tenure. But MINDA Elders Forum in a press briefing disagreed with the argument by the Kwande and Jehchira families, saying that the story being told over the traditional tool is false. They argued that since Suswam was from Zone A, the position at the end of his tenure should move to the MINDA divide of Zone B. More over they pointed to the fact that under military rule, Governor Atom Kpera, who took over from Aper Aku, was from Jemgba extraction, like the Tor Tiv then, Dr Akperana Oshi. Already, pressure is being mounted on over 20 prominent sons of the zone to run the race. Among those being encouraged to run are the Minister for Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom; former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Prince Terhemen Tazoor; the Commissioner for Land and Survey John Tondo; Chairman, House of Representative Committee on FCT, Barrister Emmanuel Jime; Permanent Secretary, Government House Administration, Dr Tivlumun Nyitse; Permanent Secretary, Internal Affairs, Dr Hinga Biam; the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Eugene Aliegba, Prince Andy Uwoukwu; and the Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Alex Adum. From Zone A, PDP supporters are calling on the NAFDAC Director General, Dr Paul Orhii, who is seen as a good philanthropist, to contest. But some are pushing for the former Minister of Justice, Mike Aondaka, Senator Barnabas Gemade, and Honourable Heman Hembe. The various agitations and permutations are largely done in hushed tones and it may take some time before they are brought to the open. before they are brought to the open.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 05:11:49 +0000
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