Gov. Suswan moves to sack Senator Gemade!

As political activities continue to gather momentum across the country, Benue State has not been left out in the schemings ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Of major interest to many political watchers is the drama playing out in Benue North East senatorial district where Governor Gabriel Suswam is locked in a battle of supremacy with the PDP senator representing the area at the National Assembly, Chief Barnabas Gemade.

Gov Suswam

The election in that constituency remains the major attraction because its outcome would invariably decide the political future of the two major gladiators in the race for the coveted seat.

Suswam is determined and confident that he would dethrone Gemade while the latter remains dogged in his bid to retain his seat.

They have both deployed their political machineries to outdo each other, though the governor seems to have taken the lead in the somewhat heated battle.

In the build up to the unfolding drama, the two contenders had taken steps to consolidate their quest for the position.

Suswam had made the deft move for the position by visiting the major  political stakeholders and paramount rulers of the old Kwande political block, comprising Kwande and Ushongo local government areas, where the senatorial seat has been zoned to by the ruling PDP.

On that occasion, he led three paramount rulers of  the “Sankera political block” to lobby the two paramount rulers and stakeholders of the area.

Addressing the gathering on the purpose of their visit, the Ter Katsina-Ala, Chief Fezanga Wombo, who spoke on behalf of the governor-led delegation, said they were in the palace of the Ter Kwande to intimate them with the intention of Suswan to contest the 2015 senatorial election.

After several hours of deliberations, the Council of Chiefs and political stakeholders, led by the Ter Kwande and Ushongo, conceded the position to Sankera.

Speaking thereafter, the Ter Kwande, Chief Hilary Ikima, stated that “since none of our subjects  had indicated interest to contest the seat and given that Governor Suswam is the first to ask for it we will loan the seat to Sankera”.

Also speaking, the Ter Ushongo, Chief Ambrose Iortyer, said his people would rally round the governor to enable him realize his dream, saying their decision was in consonance with the ancient practices of the Tiv people.

But Gemade vowed to weather the storm, insisting that he is rightfully entitled to two terms of eight years in the Senate which he said would terminate in 2019.

At the last ward congresses of the PDP in the area, the senator accused Suswam of hijacking the process while the governor also accused the senator of acquiring and distributing fake delegates forms to his supporters in order to subvert the process to his own advantage.

It’s been a ding-dong affair in the zone, but speaking recently at Agbeede Gaav, in Konshisha local government area, at the inauguration of vehicles donated to the Suswam campaign organisation by Mr. Julius Attorogh, the immediate past senator representing the zone, Senator Joseph Akaagerger advised Gemade to jettison his second term ambition.

Akaagerger explained that political positions are zoned to communities and areas and not to individuals.

Reacting to the tussle, PDP stalwart and Secretary General of the Suswam senatorial campaign organization, Mr. Terfa Abuur, said the people of the district, in agreement with all major political stakeholders, supported and voted Gemade in 2011 based on a single term agreement.

Gemade

“When in 2007, the Senate position was zoned to Jerchira, where Chief Gemade comes from, Senator Joseph Akaagerger won it and did the first term while Senator Gemade took over in 2011 to complete their turn in 2015,”Abuur said.

“I vividly recall that  in 2010, while literally begging round the seven local governments that make up the North-East senatorial district, and especially, in Kwande Local Government, Senator Gemade promised to do only a term at the National Assembly in order to complete their turn though the people expressed fears.

“Unfortunately, the fear of the people of Kwande whose turn it is to produce the next senatorial candidate, which they loaned to Governor Suswam, has been confirmed today with Senator Gemade’s ambition which is heating up the polity.

“We will advise that the senator should respect the letters of that agreement and also the will, wishes and aspiration of the people in the interest of fair play, but failing, our people would certainly reject his candidacy in the coming PDP primaries.”

In his reaction, Gemade  denied entering into a single term agreement with the constituents, advising anyone with any proof to that effect to make it public.

He accused Suswam of using his position as governor to skew the process leading to the PDP primaries and vowed to resist it.