Benue State politicians may have decided to take the political battle in the north central state to the United States as they turned the ongoing convention of the Mutual Union of the Tiv in America (MUTA) to a political forum where they all discussed the political situation of the state.
In his remarks at the event, the Senate minority leader Senator George Akume, who was represented by Mr. Amenger Iygor said that the hope of the Benue people to choose their leaders and a state governor by themselves was cut short by the activities that characterized the elections in the state.
Saying that aggrieved parties at all levels are now before the Tribunal, challenging the victories of their opponents, Senator Akume noted that the ACN gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Steve Ugbah, who contested the gubernatorial election against Governor Gabriel Suswam, will not quit until he reclaims his mandate.
Disagreeing with Senator Akume, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, in his own reaction said there was nothing like a stolen mandate in Benue State, saying that Suswam legitimately won the last governorship election in the state as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ambassador Hagher continued that the elections reflected the will of the people, stressing that the ACN candidate lost the election to Suswam because the support he got from the electorates was not enough to win such election.
The Nigerian envoy added that the governor won the election as a result of his performance through the provision of infrastructure and development of the state during his first term in office, saying that the tribunal would decide whether any mandate was stolen in Benue or not.
Also, the director-general of Gabriel Suswam Campaign Organisation, Dr. Terhemba Shija, who warned against division in the state, noted that there was the need to ensure that there was development in the state rather than pointing accusing fingers at a governor who is trying to develop state.
Shija also warned that the governor should not be blamed for whatever loss that the Tiv region faces at the federal level, adding that the people should not get derailed because of his reelection but should rather initiate the Tiv agenda in order to get what they rightfully deserve from the federal government.
Governor Gabriel Suswam, in his own speech, advised the MUTA President, Mr. Samuel Akough to desist from the spirit of partisanship with which he has been misleading the association
He also showed his disappointment over all the roles being played by the MUTA president, saying that he should be a moderator and neutral person in the politics of Benue State.
“The complete bias and partisanship of MUTA president is unnecessarily instigating other members of the association in taking sides and I believe it is not proper. He should continue to be a moderator in conflict of this nature instead of being partisan,” Suswam added.
Mr. Suswam said: “There was a gubernatorial election in the state and I won. The issue of election malpractices did not arise during the election at all. Now, there is only one government in Benue State and it will remain the only government in Benue State. The outcome of the Tribunal will reveal the truth since it is clear that I truly defeated the candidate of the Action Congress Party during the election.”
Negating claims by Senator Akume that he had no achievements to show as the state governor, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, through Dr. Cletus Akwaya, his media aide did a ten-minute video presentation of his achievements in Benue State.
Suwsam also challenged the Senate minority leader to mention what he can describe as his achievements when he was governor of Benue State for eight years before he became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He continued that the tempo of misinformation by the opposition parties was so high that it was only good to put all his achievements on records for Benue Indigenes in Diaspora to see.
The video presentation by the governor’s aide which convinced everybody present about the positive impact that he has made in the State attracted a standing ovation.
Addressing the gathering, controversial Senator Joseph Waku, in corroboration with the governor’s idea, warned the Tiv association never to collectively take side in Benue State politics, stressing that partisanship will reduce its credibility.
Senator Waku further said that the Mutual Union of the Tiv in America (MUTA) should not be used to garner supports for any particular candidate or political party, saying that doing so would make the association lose its original aims and objectives.
Speaking with our correspondent, another stakeholder in Benue State politics, Mr. Joe Kyagba, who made it known that Suswam has performed excellently in the state further added that all the allegations and accusations against the governor were baseless.
Kyagba noted that the electoral storms that the governor was passing through would not reduce his popularity in the State since he was duly elected by the people of Benue as the man of their choice.
?