By: AKOSU Emmanuel Lubem
Recently there have been intensified demand for the Senate seat of Benue North East Senatorial District. These agitations may have been genuinely stemmed out of a moral impetus coming mostly from the constituents of the Kwande geo-political bloc of Tiv extraction. The Kwande folks amidst their sympathizers from other parts of Tivland and beyond joined in this foray of demand for equity and have again risen conscienciously in an exponential moral compass to cap a frantic demand that it is time to right the wrongs and instill the just principles of political coexistence with their neighbors across the zone.
Their argument is primarily enshrined and upheld under the character of equity, fairness and justice as basic prime factors for power allocation amongst a people . Tiv call it the ‘ ‘ya na angbian’ principle, practised and upheld in the spirit of brotherhood and stable coexistence among its communities . Infact it is widely acknowledged that even the Nigerian political state admired this principle of the Tiv and had to borrow this equitable principle of power sharing from the this ethnic group to allow for fair representation of both the majority and minority amongst a multi- ethnic society like Nigeria . It is also on this same standards that the Nigerian state equally adopted the principle of Federal Character which it has continued to apply with its consequential merits towards correcting an unjust and unfair system that had hitherto brought social disenchantments and suspicion.
Again Kwande has therefore risen to the fore to demand for the right thing to be done in regards to this cherished principle . These core agitations are coming mainly from the enlightened youth segments, the middle class of Kwande extraction who in their consciously sophisticated state have become weary of an unjust machinations against the people of Kwande and in their demands have practically resolved to correct the unfair bargain deliberately entrenched against them over the long years of democratic rule in Nigeria.
According to these segments , ‘all the blocs in the Benue North East Senatorial District have had a fair share of the Senate seat atleast for 12 years and more, while Kwande could barely count home with a paltry two years of this bargain . They have further drawn a sketch of how the political sharing had been established under democratic rule for the several years, although intermittently interrupted by the military rule. Their case for fairness and equity is replicated here below, beginning since 1979; over forty years ago.
The Zone A Senatorial District has 3 blocs viz; Kwande, Sankera and Jechira and this appear to be the journey so far;
SANKERA
1979: Sen Suemo Chia
1983: Sen Iorwuese Hagher
1999: Sen Daniel Saror
2003: Sen Daniel Saror
2019: Sen Gabriel Suswam
2023: Sen Emmanuel Udende
Sankera may just have already earned a total of 24 years by 2027.
JECHIRA
2007: Sen Joseph Akaagerger
2011: Sen Barnabas Gemade
2015: Sen Barnabas Gemade
Jechira have earned 12 years by this sketch .
KWANDE
Kwande’s Senator Abaagu and David Iornem combined may barely be 2 years even through the former do not fall into this analysis which covers from 1979 to date.
Even though a few have argued that both Abaagu and Iornem of Ushongo local government under the Kwande bloc have had turns , this is however in contention by other keen observers who feel that political circumstances may have been heavily unfair to these two particularly Prof David Iornem whose tenure never saw the light of a full fledged transition to democracy . There is also a potent argument that Iornem’s elections may not have enjoyed its full potentials having been unfortunately truncated under the military in barely 11months in the saddle , because it was a entirely a military process towards transition to civil rule which was after all botched prematurely. The military government of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in it’s usual maradonic insincerity failed to honor the scarce integrity that was left of it when it annulled the June 12 Presidential Elections of 1993 thus marking an abrupt end of the infamous third republic .
Professor David Iornem of the lower Kwande bloc became a victim of circumstances circumvented under an unjust military conduct. He was elected into the Senate on July 4, 1992 on the platform of The Social Democratic Party SDP and the NASS was inaugurated on December 5, 1992.
Unfortunately, the Third Republic was cut short when General Sani Abacha seized power in a military coup on November 17, 1993, effectively ending the tenure of the 1992 Senate. As such Prof Iornem was a Senator from Kwande for eleven months and twelve days
Analysts also argue that why Prof David Iornem is not consummately mentioned on the Kwande Senate discussion is because of the failure of a concrete transition to civil rule . Also because there was still the existence of the military decrees by the Supreme military Council that may have been considered mostly over and above the enactments of the botched third republic Assembly as it were .
In effect Kwande may just have barely less than 2 years in the Senate even if the tenure of the Iornem and Abaagu will be put into consideration. ” In comparison to what Sankera and Jechira have gotten in relation to Iornen’s eleven months and twelve days, then virtually you will agree that Kwande has not gotten anything” . One analyst argued .
” Thus frantic calls are been made for men of goodwill and conscience to rise up in clear support of Kwande for Senate 2027 in the spirit of justice , fairness, and equity”
Additionally , while Kwande places genuine agitations for the Senate Seat , majority feel that time has come to ensure rounded equity by all its Creed and standards . They contend that he who comes to equity must come with clean, making their points clear that while the Upper Kwande takes lead of the Senate seat , the lower Kwande of Ushongo naturally fills into the House of Representatives Seat by 2027, judging by the obvious facts that the upper Kwande may have had 4 unbroken tenures, beginning from Aboho 2011, Wayo 2015, Tyough 2019 and Ugbor 2023 amounting to 16 stable years of the House of Representatives Seat in Kwande local government. With these considerations Kwande may be set to right the wrongs and putting records straight as pacesetters for truth and forthrightness. For what is good for the goose is equally good gander .
Equally, it is argued that Kwande possesses the moral impetus to lay claim to the governorship come 2027 . This aspiration too must not be seen as an opposition to the incumbent governor who also has the right to seek reelection based on his strengths, competences, and practical achievements . Infact the agitations for Jechira governorship started as far back as the George Akume’s era intensified into the tenures of former Governor Suswam and finally got the ultimate breakthrough in 2023 at the exit of the Ortom administration. This is also a moral bargain for Kwande and as the Tiv people say , “hungwaja u kpelegh mom kaa hir zende tsuaa. ” .
-Akosu Emmanuel Lubem
Journalist, Public Affairs Commentator, and Author.
