By Francis Atume, Makurdi
A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Benue State, Dr. Ngutor Anyam, has suggested that voting the party’s governorship candidate, Prof. Sebastine Hon, SAN, to take over from the incumbent in the 2027 general elections would be for fairness and justice.
Anyam, who spoke yesterday during an interview with journalists in Makurdi, explained that before the present administration was massively voted into office, stakeholders in the Benue project resolved that the mandate be given to Jechira, and specifically to Vandeikya, to complete Adasu’s tenure, which was truncated by the military junta.
He recalled that the resolution was based on the fact that with Jechira completing Adasu’s tenure, all blocks in Tiv would have gotten their two terms each, pointing out that with the last occupant being from Zone A, it will be the turn of Zone B, and specifically Gboko, where Prof. Hon comes from, to produce the next governor.
Giving further breakdown, Anyam said Zone A started the contest with Aper Aku, emerging as governor from Kwande/Ushongo, enjoying the seat for two terms from 1979 to 1983, arguing that though the tenure was truncated, he was re-elected in 1983 and subsequently sworn in for a second term, while Gabriel Suswam of Sankera, from the same zone, got elected in 2007 and enjoyed re-election in 2011.
He said in Zone B, Senator George Akume ruled the state between 1999 and 2003 and got re-elected in 2007, while Governor Samuel Ortom got elected as governor in 2015 and enjoyed two terms from 2019 to 2023, explaining that after Ortom, stakeholders resolved that as the ticket moves back to Zone A, from Vandeikya, anybody who emerges will do only one term to complete that of Rev. Fr. Adasu.
“Insisting on two terms by anybody to disregard the already settled arrangement is political dishonesty,” Anyam said.
He explained that those saying the next governor from Zone B will come from Buruku are politically ignorant of history, pointing out that Buruku people were given the first opportunity to produce a governor, which they brought the late William Moze, who later had an accident and became incapacitated, and recalled that the incident prompted Tarka people to request for a loan, which Buruku honoured, and stressed that the loan produced Senator George Akume, who became governor and ruled for two terms.
According to Anyam, Buruku people can only talk about governorship when it is the turn of Tarka, who will use their turn to pay back the loan, arguing that the rightful person who is favoured by the current “Ya Na Angbiam” (“eat and give your brother”) should be Gboko, where Prof. Hon comes from.
Dr. Anyam also argued that Tiv Ruling Houses respect the principle of “Ya Na Angbiam”. And, if it was strictly an issue of zoning, Benue South ought to be more favoured to produce the next Governor in 2027.
He appealed to politicians to learn to respect agreements, no matter the situation, in order to avoid overheating the polity, for peace to reign in the system.
