By Francis Atume, Makurdi
Former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Engr. Benson Abounu, has described the third term ambition for the Benue South Senatorial seat as evil and capable of breeding disunity and hatred among the Idoma people.
Abounu, who served under the Samuel Ortom administration, stated this yesterday during an exclusive interview in Makurdi.
He said his position is not borne out of hatred for the incumbent Senator, Comrade Abba Moro, who is seeking a third term, but in the interest of equity, fairness and peace.
“We the people of Benue South allowed Abba Moro to go for the second term, so he should allow another Idoma person. This principle that I hold as an elder statesman is for the growth of Idoma land. Whoever is contemplating third term is out for a great disservice to Idoma people,” Abounu stated.
He noted that Idoma people have consistently accused the Tiv of marginalizing them by refusing to give them a chance to occupy the office of governor, insisting that doing the same thing to vulnerable groups among them is completely unacceptable.
According to him, the refusal to embrace rotation by the Tiv has caused bad blood in the state, arguing that political appointments and other positions are given based on where people come from and not on competence, a development that has caused disenchantment and stunted development.
“The refusal to chop and give brother by the Tiv has brought hatred and enmity. People of Benue South do not believe they have a state of their own. Idoma people are heavily marginalized and the only thing to bring an end to this is political harmony,” he said.
Abounu said as an impartial elder statesman, if the Idoma are crying marginalization, they should stop doing the same to others in their area.
Tracing the history of the Benue South Senate seat, the former deputy governor recalled that Senator David Mark from Otukpo occupied the seat for 20 years, perhaps because Nigeria was still experimenting with democracy at the time, and warned that any Idoma man contemplating third term does not mean well for the people.
He said such ambition would breed disenchantment which breeds hatred, noting that the Igede people already feel that the Idoma have cornered the Senate and are not happy.
“With this and many other things, that is why the Igede, despite their son occupying the Idoma throne for 35 years, demanded their own nation. So whoever is contemplating second or third term is doing great disservice to Idoma nation because this is what the Tiv have always capitalized on,” he added.
He observed that Otukpo alone was blessed with Senate for more than 20 years through David Mark and Senator Adejo Ogiri, while Okpokwu had its turn through Senator Ameh Ebute who also became Senate President, Godwin Okpe and now Abba Moro who is already serving his second tenure of eight years.
“I will say that anybody vying for Senate from Otukpo or Okpokwu is doing a lot of disservice to Idoma people. This will create disenchantment which will eventually lead to hatred and lack of harmony among the people and when this happens, Idoma nation which is already struggling with issues of marginalization will not survive,” he said.
The former deputy governor reiterated that his stance should not be viewed as hatred for Senator Moro, noting that his position supporting the zoning of the Senate seat out of Okpokwu and Otukpo is in the interest of equity, fairness and growth of Idoma land.
