As The Battle for Who Will Succeed Governor Samuel Ortom Gathers Momentum, AUSTINE TULE, in This Piece Examins the Chances of Those Seeking to Succeed Him on The Ticket Of The People’s Demoratic Party (PDP) in 2023.
Governor Samuel Ortom will graciously bow out of the Benue State Government House by 2023 as demanded by the Nigerian constitution having escaped bubby-traps to get himself re-elected in 2019.
As it is normal with politics, those interested in the Benue’s plum job this medium observerd have kick-started consultations in enerst with a view to driving to the coast of reality their ambitions.
Findings by The AUTHORITY indicates that aspirants on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) are comprised mostly of Ortom’s aids while few it is gathered are members of the party who are not directly involved in his administration.
The governorship position in Benue State, believed to be a birthright of the Tiv majority ethnic tribe usually rotates among the five geo- political blocs of Kwande, Minda, Jechira, Sankera and Jemgbagh respectively.
As Ortom leaves office in 2023 which also marks a completion of the vicious circle as all the Blocs would have produced a governor, there seems to be heated arguments as to which of the blocs will produce Ortom”s successor.
Though the Kwande bloc which produced the first civilian governor of the state in the person of late Apolos Aper Aku would have been without any form of debate the zone to be handed the governoship on the grounds that the seat had gone round, the Jechira axis are equally advancing arguments in the reasoning that their turn was trauncated during the General Ibrahim Babangida’s transition program when it’s son in the person of late Rev.Father Moses Adasu was sacked after 18 months in office as governor saying they be allowed to complete their ternure come 2023.
Giving this development, The AUTHORITY findings reveals that most of the those aspiring for the position are from the Kwande and Jechira political Blocs.
Notable among those it was gathered have intensified consultations are Honourable Terwase Orbunde(Kwande) who is governor Ortom’s Chief of Staff. Also in the race is Professor Dennis Ityavyar(Jechira) who currently serves as Commissioner for Education.
Mr. Terver Akase ( Jechira), is governor Samuel Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary and is also said to be a man to watch.
Even as he is said not to have yielded to presure to vie for the governorship position at the moment, findings reveals the Benue born media icon has continued to receive wide publicity as regards the governorship race.
Akase who represents the younger generation is viwed as a perfect transitory agent betwen the older and the younger generation of political leadership in the state, a development it is beleived has continued to give his rumourd governorship ambition a very wide acceptance.
Others include, Right Honourable Titus Uba who is the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and who is also of the Jechira Bloc.
Those outside of the governor’s caninate are Dr Paul Angya, a former Director General at the Standards Organizations of Nigeria, a bussines mogul and chairman Benue State Chambers of Commerce , Industries, Mines and Agriculture Dr. Paul Ubwa is also in this category of those jostling for the position.
According to investigations, while some of the aspirants in the governor’s cabinate will largly be depending on his influence to sail through, feelers however points to the fact that even if gotten the governor’s endorsement, thier personal pedigree especially as it regards their dealings with the people will largly play a role in marketing them to the Benue populace.
Findings indicates that why some of the aspirants are banking on governnent support, others is was further others are craving to cash on the goodwill they had genared via thier engagements with the people over time.
Terwase Orbunde is a former Federal legislator with a very vast experience in art of politics and governance. Believed to be very close to the governor, his ambition is widely said to be waived around the governor as he is generally seen as one of the governor’s favoured asparants for the governorship position by 2023.
As Chief of Staff to the governor, Orbunde according to findings enjoys a good support on his aspirations to succeed his boss from a vast segment of the governors inner circle .
Findings further reveals that he equally enjoys some level of support from Traditional Institution, a development it is held will be an added advantage to his aspiration.
However, pundits are of the opinion that his personal relationship with the people especially as it regards alms giving might be his major baggage.
Dennis Ityavyar is a Professor of Sociology. Though not much was known about him within political circles, his inclusion in the Ortom administration as Commissioner places him in a vantage position as one of the key drivers of the Ortom administration policies.
His entrance into the governorship race is also believed to be hinged on his closeness to Governor Samuel Ortom .
Though relatively unpopuler among the Benue political class, Ityavyar’s strength remains in his percieved closeness to the governor.
Investigations indicates he may be willing to ditch his ambition should it becomes glaring he will not get Ortom’s tacit endorsement for the Benue governorship seat.
Speaker Titus Uba has made his governorship ambition public and is also consulting very widely according to investigations by this medium.
He is from the Jechira geo- political Bloc. His ambition did not come to many as a surprise been the highest political office holder from the bloc as Speaker of the State Assembly.
One of his major strength according to findings is his percieved loyalty the governor who it is viewed will not have issues having him as a successor.
For Dr. Paul Ubwa, his strength largly lies in his impact on the Benue economy through his transport outfit (Pleasure Travels) which it is believed has given jobs to several youths in the state and even beyond.
He is also believed to be consulting very widely with the aim to driving home is message regarding his ambition. Though not a very popular name regarding politics in the state, this medium gathered his humain disposition and track record of achievements in the private sector according to political observers are some of his selling points.
With less than two years to the governorship primaries of the PDP in Benue State, the stakes are said to be no less high. The choice of a governorship candidate by the party it’s is widely held will either brighten or lower it’s chances at the general elections by 2023
Good morning, pls can you provide the headline to this story. I asked for it the other time you said you don’t understand. And you sent the same thing again.
