* Ortom Issues Guber Aspirants 1-Day Ultimatum
By Amos Aar, Makurdi
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted incumbent member of House of Representatives representing Makurdi/Guma federal constituency, Hon. Mzondu Benjamin Bem as consensus candidate.
Addressing the people of Makurdi and Guma local government areas on Friday, 25th March, 2022 after a closed door meeting with stakeholders of the federal constituency at Government House, Makurdi, Governor Samuel Ortom, who hails Guma, further announced that the PDP had also adopted the current House of Assembly member for Guma state constituency, Barrister William Ortyom, as consensus candidate for the new Agasha state constituency, while a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Hon. Jimin Geoffrey, was adopted as consensus candidate for Guma state constituency.
Governor Ortom gave the stakeholders from Makurdi South and Makurdi North up till today (Saturday, 26th March, 2022) to produce consensus candidates ahead of the primaries and elections.
The one-day ultimatum followed a disclosure by the PDP Chairman in Makurdi local government, Alhaji Yunusa Garba, that Makurdi North state constituency seat has been zoned to Mbagwen where 67 persons are contesting, adding that Makurdi South constituency has 3 aspirants but both the two constituencies were yet to reach consensus.
Although Governor Ortom had earlier vowed not to interfer with consensus issues including that of governorship and to allow the stakeholders in various areas to handle it, he stated yesterday that he will take a drastic decision if the stakeholders fail to accomplish the task.
He also advised that first-timers at the National and State Assemblies should be allowed to go for a second term if they have not offended their constituents. According to him, this is because they were in the learning process in the first term and would do better if reelected but the new ones will be freshers and novices in the business of legislation.
The governor also gave PDP caucus members in the 14 local government areas in Tiv land (G-14) one-day ultimatum being Saturday 26th March, 2022 to select one governorship candidate. The G-14 is to reconvene at Government House, Makurdi on Sunday, 27th March, 2022 with final results so that Benue PDP will have only two governorship candidates; one from zone C and one from Tiv land.
“You are all qualified to be governor, but 34 persons cannot succeed me as governor of Benue State. So, we must produce a candidate for our party and if G-14 fails to produce a consensus candidate, I will take my decision, I’m not afraid of anybody”, Ortom told PDP caucus members from the 14 local government areas of Tiv land commonly known as G-14.
Meanwhile, the caucus members in the 9 local government areas of Benue Zone C (G-9) had since settled for incumbent Deputy Governor of the State, Engr. Benson Abounu, as consensus candidate.
Kwande bloc conducted a governorship mock election a week ago and the former Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Terwase Orbunde, came first with 58 votes, Tertsea Gbishe 27, Paul Ubwa 20 and Isaiah Ipevnor 3 votes respectively while Tavershima Anumve 0, Asen Sambe 0, Christopher Afaor and John Tongo 0 each.
In Jechira, both Vandeikya and Konshisha Local Government areas also conducted their mock elections separately to trim down the number of governorship aspirants.
In Vandeikya local government, former Benue State Commissioner of Education, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, polled 25, Rt. Hon. Terkaa Ucha 24, Dr Paul Angya 23, Rt. Hon. Titus Uba 20, Arc. Joseph Ikyaagba 5, Hon. Mrs Susan Waya 5, Engr Ben Akaakar 4, Pharm. Peter Chieshe 4, Hon. Godwin Akahan 1, Dr Cletus Akwaya 1, and Hon. Boniface Jibo 0 votes.
The governorship mock election results in Konshisha local government showed that former Commissioner of Water Resources and Environment, Engr. Joshua Dondo Ahire, scored 15 votes, Hon. Julius Atorough polled 5 while Terver Akase came third with 4 votes.
However, the people of Jechira disagreed on the outcome of the mock elections, alleging manipulation by stakeholders, and as a result, it became an exercise in futility.
National Record gathered that Kwande masses are not also comfortable with the emergence of Hon. Terwase Orbunde who according to them is likely to suffer defeat in the general elections owing to lack of acceptance by Benue people.
