By Amos Aar
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has endorsed Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Titus Tyoapine Uba, as consensus candidate for the party’s governorship ticket from the Tiv-speaking area of the state.
According to a release by the Benue State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Bemgba Iortyom, the consensus was reached on Sunday, 17th April, 2022 at an expanded meeting of the PDP caucus for the Tiv-speaking area held at the New Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi.
“Stakeholder blocs which conveyed endorsement of the State Assembly Speaker include the Vandeikya PDP Elders Forum, G-14 Group of Elders, Benue State House of Assembly Tiv PDP Caucus, Local Government Council Chairmen and Benue PDP 2023 Governorship Aspirants Forum members from the Tiv-speaking area.
“Senators Gabriel Suswam and Emmanuel Orker-Jev, PDP Board of Trustees member, Chief Mrs Margaret Icheen and Tiv speaking members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the party from the state also lent their support for the endorsement of Rt. Hon. Uba.
“Following the endorsement from the various stakeholder blocs, the party affirms that the process received the blessings of the 5 intermediate areas of the Tiv-speaking area, namely: Jechira, Kwande, Sankera, Jemgbagh and MINDA which were represented by Elder David Amo, Chief Mrs Margaret Icheen, Ambassador Iyorwuese Hagher, Dr Laha Dzever and Rt. Hon. Cletus Upaa respectively,” Iortyom said.
The PDP Publicity Secretary said all governorship aspirants in the Tiv-speaking area okayed the consensus candidature of Titus Uba and expressed readiness to support him
“The endorsement of Rt. Hon. Titus Uba as Consensus Candidate for the Governorship ticket of PDP in the Tiv-speaking area was validated by co-contestants with him in the race from the area who in their remarks through their Forum Chairman, Hon. Barr. Chille Igbawua, gave their blessings to the process and pledged their support to it and to our great party.”
In his remarks, the speaker solicited the support of stakeholders and the party faithful to enable him to clinch the governorship in the forthcoming general elections.
“Rt. Hon. Uba on his knees before the caucus expressed utmost appreciation for being chosen among many, and called on co-aspirants as well as all stakeholders and members of the party to come together in unity of purpose towards the objective of winning victory at the 2023 elections.”
Speaking on behalf of Benue PDP, State Deputy Chairman, Hon. Isaac Mffo, acknowledged the process as transparent, detailed and thorough enough to attract the party’s approval as a credible way forward towards winning victory at the 2023 elections in the state.
On his part, leader of PDP in the state, Governor Samuel Ortom, lauded the process and appreciated all stakeholders for their untiring efforts which resulted in the endorsement, with particular plaudits reserved for the governorship aspirants whom he said showed a rare sense of loyalty and sacrifice for the larger interest of the party.
Governor Ortom urged the stakeholders of the party not to relent in their efforts to select a consensus candidate for the PDP in Benue State.
The PDP governorship ticket is now between the Deputy Governor, Engr Benson Abounu, from the Idoma-speaking area of Zone C and Speaker Uba.
However, the Deputy Governor has narrow chances of flying PDP’s flag according to what the Governor Samuel Ortom stated in a recent interview with Premium Times.
Governor Ortom had told the online newspaper: “If we (PDP) go in a hurry and nominate someone from Zone C (Benue South), and our opponent (APC) does not do same in Tiv land, it means that the PDP will lose the (governorship) election completely, even with the overwhelming support that we have today in PDP that is a fact.”
Meanwhile, Some Benue politicians who spoke with National Record but pleaded anonymity doubted the possibility of Uba getting the acceptance of the masses to win at the general election and his capability of governing the state based on his alleged incompetence as speaker of the 9th Benue Assembly which resulted in his nickname, “Rubber-stamp Speaker,” as he is usually called by some people who have deemed him weak.
Those who see Uba’s incompetence to govern Benue State believe that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) produces an acceptable candidate, the person will win against the PDP at the polls.
