Benue: Old F oes Back In The Ring – The Nation’s Analyses

By Dare Odufuwokan, The Nation

Benue State is one of the states where a change of leadership must happen in 2023. This is because Governor Samuel Ortom will be completing his second term of four years in office by then and will not be eligible to seek another shot at the position. Expectedly, the race to succeed Ortom is already gathering momentum with several willing contenders daily throwing their hats into the ring of the gubernatorial contest.

Earlier this month, Governor Ortom said God has not revealed his successor to him assuring that he has no preferred candidate in the coming general elections and has also not anointed anyone as his successor. He said, “though God has not revealed to me who will succeed me as Governor, I believe that with due consultations with major stakeholders, a strong hearted person who will preserve and protect the land will be chosen.”

An ongoing attempt by the PDP in the state to prune the number of its governorship aspirants, as advised by the governor is causing crisis within the ruling party as some aspirants are already crying wolf and vowing to reject the outcome of the exercise. They described a pruning process for the aspirants as faulty, unfair and capable of denying the party victory at the forthcoming general elections in the state if allowed, while faulting the inability of the leadership of the party in the State to draw up guidelines for the exercise.

Within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), not less than a dozen aspirants have officially declared their interest in the party’s 2023 guber ticket. Observers of the politics of the state say the contest for the APC ticket will be a fierce one going by the caliber and political antecedents of some of the contenders. The party, which lost the state to PDP in 2019 following the defection of Governor Ortom, is determined to stage a comeback come in 2023. This perhaps explains why the APC is parading numerous governorship aspirants.

Party sources told The Nation that the APC is currently being hugely publicized in the nooks and crannies of the state by the governorship aspirants, who are going round the three senatorial districts to talk to party members and other citizens, set up offices and made their presence felt at every major functions and ceremonies across the state. “Some of them are known to have also built financial war chests in readiness for the elections. They are moving round every sector of the state like the tentacles of the Octopus. The result is that everywhere in Benue state today, people are aware the APC is ready to sack the PDP from office. Our party is the party of Benue people and they are eagerly waiting to vote APC back into Government House,” a party chieftain told The Nation.

Zoning agitation

As the two leading parties prepare for the looming political face-off, leaders and elders of the southern senatorial district of Benue state, also known as Zone C, are insisting that it is their turn to produce the next governor after Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration.

As part of efforts to better the chances of the zone in the forthcoming election, after what they described as a rigorous selection process, leaders and elders of the southern senatorial district recently led other stakeholders to present the current deputy governor of the state, Engr. Benson Abounu, to the governor as the consensus candidate of the zone.

The gathering, which cuts across religious, ethnic and political lines, told the governor to support Abounu in the interest of the zone’s quest for equity, fairness and justice. “Since the creation of Benue from Plateau State, the governorship position has only rotated between Zone A and B, leaving zone C, which is dominated by Idoma ethnic group with deputy governorship position year in, year out,” a chieftain of the ruling party told The Nation.

The Nation however gathered that the endorsement of Abounu by the stakeholders have not gone down well with some people in the zone. But the leadership of the forum is not leaving any stone unturned in their quest to ensure his choice enjoys the support of all and sundry across the senatorial district. “We expected dissents and we are working hard to address all grievances. What is important to us is to see the next governor come from our zone,” a traditional ruler said on Thursday.

The contenders

Chief Barnabas Gemade

Chief Gemade, a former national chairman of the PDP, was also the Managing Director of the defunct Benue Cement, Gboko, now Dangote cement. He served as Secretary of Works in late Sani Abacha’s military regime. He contested for president against the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was elected into the national assembly to represent Benue northeast senatorial zone for two terms of eight years. He is 72 years old.

Terwase Orbunde

Terwase Orbunde is a former federal legislator who is not a newcomer to the politics and governance of the state. He is widely connected within the ruling PDP and quite an experienced politician. Believed to be very close to the governor, his ambition is widely said to be tied around the governor as he is generally seen as one of the governor’s favoured aspirants for the governorship position by 2023. He is a PDP chieftain.

Chief Mike Aondoakaa

Chief Mike Aondoakaa, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is another APC governorship aspirant. He is the chairman of Mikap Nig .Limited, a multi million naira rice milling company with a modern factory in Makurdi.

Chief Steven Lawani

Chief Steven Lawani is the only governorship aspirant on the platform of APC from Benue south senatorial zone. Lawani was the deputy governor to Senator Gabriel Suswam for eight years. What Chief Lawani has going for him is the zoning consideration. Since the creation of Benue from Plateau State, no person from his zone has occupied Government House.

Titus Uba

Hon. Titus Uba is the current Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly. He has formally declared interest in the PDP ticket. He is from the Jechira geo- political bloc. His ambition did not come to many as a surprise, been the highest political office holder from the bloc as Speaker of the State Assembly. His supporters are hoping that he will be rewarded for his total loyalty to the governor.

Professor Terhemba Shija

Professor Terhemba Shija, 60 is a Tiv-born Professor of English Studies at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He was a House Representatives member and was also Commissioner for Information and Culture; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Terver Akase

Governor Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, is an aspirant whose ambition surprised a lot of people even as some speculators say he has the backing of the governor. He has said nothing can stop him from contesting the primary as he ready to go all the way.

Mark Tersoo Hanmantion

Mark Tersoo Hanmantion is 38 year-old and he is not pretending about his ambition to replace Ortom on the platform of APC. Analysts say he took Benue by storm and has vigorously traversed all the 23 local government areas of the state campaigning.

Hon. Herman Hembe

Herman Hembe, is the 45 years old politician son of highly respected Late Professor Godwin Nyor Hembe, a Political Science scholar. The young Hembe is a lawyer who is currently serving his fourth term as a federal lawmaker. He is the member representing Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State at the National Assembly.

Professor Dennis Ityavyar

Dennis Ityavyar is current Commissioner for Education a Professor of Sociology. He is close to the governor and pundits say if he gets Ortom’s endorsement as being speculated, he could emerge as the candidate of the ruling PDP despite being almost unknown in the state’s political circles before now.

Others

Also being touted as possible contenders in the race for the APC governorship ticket in Benue state are Dr.Mathise Byuan, Hon Nick Wende, DR. John Tor Tsuwa and Richard Tersoo Mnenge. The names of Hon Sam Ode and Hon Emmanuel Jime have also been mentioned in connection with the race for the APC guber ticket.

Others are Commissioner for Water Resources, Dondo Ahire, former Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Robert Orya, Dr. Paul Angya, a former Director General at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Chairman, Benue State Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Paul Ubwa,