Opposition Demystifies PDP Bigwigs in Benue

Politics is indeed a game of surprises, hence the saying: “no permanent enemy but permanent interest” which aptly captured the recent victory of the opposition over the “Africa’s biggest political party which can rule Nigeria for 60years”.
One wouldn’t have ordinarily believed that the unification of political arch enemies like Sen. George Akume, Sen. Barnabas Gemade and Sen. JKN Waku could be potent enough to sweep the carpet off the feet of power brokers in the likes of Senate President David Mark, Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro and the out going governor, Gabriel Suswam who hitherto held sway especially in their local governments and senatorial zones.
It is on record that top political leaders in Benue have arbitrarily frustrated all forms of opposition in the state that it took the opposition close to 40 years to boot them out and form a government which they have now done.
But alas!, in spite of their domineering influence in their territories over the years, the trio mortally lacked the miracle to stop the rampaging wind of change that blew across Benue and Nigeria as they lost woefully in their hitherto captured territories.
Sen. Mark who had used his exalted position of Senate President to corner most of the juicy federal appointments and patronage to the benefit of his Otukpo kinsmen was roundly rejected by same.
Even the elusive promise of the creation of Apa State which he used to effectively hoodwinked the Idomas and returned to the national assembly for four terms of 16 years could not save him this time, though he won his re-election he lost control of the zone to the opposition.
At the conclusion of balloting, he was only lucky to have his cousin returned as a member of the Benue State House of Assembly while the other constituency within same Otukpo was won by the APC candidate.
Sen. Mark, it was gathered from competent source, that he even regretted seeking fifth term after his party could not win majority seats at the senate to guarantee him retaining the position of Senate President.
Although, he has openly declared that he will not jump political ship from the PDP to the governing APC, his supporters and hangers on are believed to be seriously contemplating their fate in the soon to become opposition PDP.
Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro also could not deliver his home, Okpokwu local government area to the PDP in spite of the earlier claim that it was the block vote from Zone C that guaranteed the PDP’s victory in Benue which prompted the Minister to reject any existence of the APC in Benue.
Comrade Moro, Sen. Mark’s valet and confidant, upon all the political arsenal deployed to win over APC in Idoma land could hardly make appreciable impact like before as the people of the area insisted that they genuinely vote and their votes must count for the first time as against the dark days of electoral impunity.
Our search in Sankera ruling block and the political base of Governor Gabriel Suswam, confirmed that he was dumbfounded upon the discovery that the APC was coasting home to victory even as he had begged and wasted millions of naira to convince his people to vote for his godson, Terhemen Tarzoor.
There were allegations that finding himself at the loosing end, Governor Suswam aggressively engage what remains of his scanty faithful in high scale snatching of election materials which resulted into resistance and the eventual killing of three innocent voters at Asom village in Logo local government area.
The situation in Ukum local government area which is the sister local government area also indicated that there was heavy exchange of gun fire when it dawned on the PDP that the APC candidate for both the governorship and house of assembly election were coasting home to victory.
Most annoying for the governor, according to his associates was that even the House of Representatives member for Sankera who is his party man, Hon Emmanuel Udende and erstwhile Commissioner, Hon Benjamin Ashaver were bent on ensuring that the PDP lost out to the APC.
In almost the entire Tiv speaking local government areas, the PDP had abysmal outing due to the lack of grass root appeal and the acceptability of the governorship candidate, Mr Terhemen Tarzoor who was perceived as more of a clannish candidate who will be pocketed by strong political godfathers for selfish ends.
Some chieftains of the PDP who were heavily mobilised also voted against their candidate.
After the declaration of the result on Monday by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), the entire state went silent as all those who have for the past 16 years benefitted from the lot were ashamed to move in the public for fear of being mocked.
One lesson that has dominated public discuss across the state is that those elected now show more concern to the plight of the citizenry by delivering on their mandate to avoid being booted out in the same way at the next elections.