Can Moro do a ‘David Mark’ in Benue Zone C ?

Ahead of the 2027 general election, politicians across the country are already fine tuning their strategies and mapping out plans at their various grassroots bases to secure the mandate of the electorate for their respective ambitions. Expectedly, politicians of Benue State origin are not exempted as most of them have thrown their hats into the […]

Ahead of the 2027 general election, politicians across the country are already fine tuning their strategies and mapping out plans at their various grassroots bases to secure the mandate of the electorate for their respective ambitions.

Expectedly, politicians of Benue State origin are not exempted as most of them have thrown their hats into the ring awaiting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to blow the whistle for the commencement of the race.

Our correspondent reports that in the Benue South Senatorial District, where the Senate minority leader, Comrade Abba Moro currently represents many are formally positioning themselves under different political party platforms to wrest the baton from Moro who is serving his second tenure.

These aspirants include African Democratic Party (ADC) Dr David Olofu, a former Finance commissioner; Francis Agbo, a former House Representative member; Nelson Alapa, a former Minority Leader in the House of Representatives; Daniel Onjeh, a former student union leader; a former council chairman, Samuel Onuh;  Patrick Idoko; and a former state assembly member and 2023 Labour Party (LP) candidate, Joe Ojobo.

 

Challenging the incumbent

But, Moro who was first given the mandate of representing Benue south senatorial district otherwise known as Zone “C” at the upper chamber of the National Assembly on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform in 2019 may not be letting go soon as he has declared interest in running for the seat a third time.

His Media aide, Emmanuel Eche’Ofun John in a conversation with our correspondent admitted his principal’s interest for a third term bid, stating that “Senator Abba Moro, says yes to re-election in 2027.”

John added, “A third term in the senate will afford him the opportunity to consolidate on the gains of his achievements so far and explore bigger and better opportunities for his constituents. His decision to seek re-election is all about the people, nothing about self.

The big question however is whether Moro, like his predecessor, former Senate President David Mark, who represented Benue South for two decades at the Senate and served as the political leader of Zone C, be able to match the record.

Mark held the senatorial seat for 20 years winning elections for five consecutive times and defeating strong opponents such as former military governor, Lawrence Onoja and Alhaji Abubakar Usman popularly known as Young Alhaji .

His 20 uninterrupted years in the Senate set a record and created a benchmark that still largely shapes political conversations across the nine Local Government Areas that make up Zone C of Benue State.

 

David Mark’s precedence

Since 1999, the zone has had only two senators. The zone has four federal constituencies that are currently clamouring for the seat to be rotated among them.

Mark hails from the Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency while Moro is from the Ado/Ogbadibo/ Okpokwu constituency.

The two constituencies yet to occupy the seat are Obi/ Oju and Apa/ Agatu. Stakeholders say ideally, each constituency should occupy the seat for a maximum of only two terms at a stretch but that concession was made to Mark because he became the Senate president.

With Abba Moro now serving his second term and eyeing a third in 2027, many have asked the zoning principle be maintained.

The challenges confronting Moro, from what our correspondent gathered, include the issue of zoning; his performance in office; the issues in his party, the PDP; the support he receives from the state governor and the push by the other aspirants.

 

People react

A political analyst from Benue South, Ameh Ochojila, argued that the real issue lies in Moro’s ability to convince the electorate for another mandate after almost completing two terms in office.

Ochojila said, “In truth, the race for Benue South should rise above the old Abba and Mark political train. Zone C is not just looking for a winner. It is looking for a representative who understands its fears and hopes and can turn a mandate into results people can feel. To be fair, Abba appears to have recently woken up more fully to his responsibilities as senator, while Mark records are being reexamined. Voters are carefully weighing the cards on the table until decision day arrives.”

Another political watcher resident in Otukpo, Kenneth Eche, thinks the position should rotate after two tenures by an occupant not minding the positive contributions made during the eight years period in order to give democracy its true meaning.

“Well, in my opinion, in a true democratic set up competition should be encouraged. Allowing one person in the senate for more than two tenures is not the best for us. Let us give room for others to come and compete with the former in terms of bringing dividends of democracy to the people.

On her part, an APC women’s leader in Ugboju, Otukpo LGA, Mrs. Grace Oche, argued that the third term bid of the incumbent Senator, Abba Moro, would likely fail due to the dwindling fortunes of the PDP in the state, as the party’s structure has largely disintegrated in Zone C, with many supporters defected to the ADC and APC.

“The PDP no longer have a stronghold in Benue South. Moro supporters and even his predecessor have all moved to different parties where they will be working for their various candidates. It’s not certain that his third term bid will become a reality,” she noted.

Oche added that people really want to see power rotation and generational shift in the Idoma speaking political space which may happen in 2027 even as she maintained that two terms provide sufficient opportunity to fulfill campaign promises.

“Let’s add that 2027 will not be a walk in the park. If certain goals were not achieved in eight years, what guarantees their realisation in 12 years?,” the women’s leader questioned.

Similarly, Dr. Adakole Elijah, an ADC bigwig and strong supporter of the former Senate president described the notion of a third term agenda as an exercise in futility, “a concept bereft of viability, and an anachronism in this enlightened era.”

He argued that in a senatorial domain teeming with an abundance of erudite and illustrious personalities, the supposition that a single individual should monopolise the political landscape, treating it as a personal fiefdom, is an anathema to the spirit of democratic ethos.

“It has come to our attention that certain quarters are vociferously advocating for an incumbent’s prolonged tenure, predicated on the precedent set by Senator David Mark’s two-decade tenure in the Senate.

“This specious argument wilfully disregards the immutable law of uniqueness, wherein no two entities can be identical in every aspect, “he said.

According to him, a cursory examination of the senatorial history of Benue South reveals that the seat has been occupied by distinguished sons of the soil, including Senator Ameh Ebute, Senator Godwin Okpe, and Senator Abba Moro, on multiple occasions and therefore the rotation of power has effectively equalled Senator Mark’s tenure, rendering the argument for a third term nugatory.

Elijah submitted that, “The most pragmatic course of action is to facilitate the rotation of the Senatorial seat to either Apa/Agatu or Oju/Obi Federal Constituencies.

However Moro’s spokesperson, John has defended the popularity of his principal as cutting across all party divides to earn him another mandate at the upper chambers of the national assembly.

Commenting on the PDP’s alleged dwindling fortune, John said that the February 20 election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where PDP won a chairmanship seat and 17 councillorship seats remained a testament of the party’s resilience and survival spirit.

“PDP may be facing some leadership challenges at the moment, which is not uncommon with political parties, but the party will come out of the crises stronger, more competitive and better. PDP is deploying all its internal dispute resolution mechanisms in addressing the grievances in the party with a view to resolving the pending issues and returning the party to its winning ways in all future elections.

“No political party has a stronger base in Zone C than the PDP. The party has been winning elections in the zone since 1999 and will win again in 2027. We understand that some notable personalities have left PDP and currently working against its success, but it’s nothing to worry about. It happened before in 2016, during the senatorial election re-run in Benue South, but the party won on a landslide. The same feat will be repeated in 2027, as the masses who vote have not defected.”

 

Expectations for 2017

Our correspondent observed that as INEC has released the schedule, more aspirants are likely to come out especially in other parties.

The expectation is that as many are currently clustered in the ruling party, some may defect to other parties if they fail to clinch the APC ticket.

Many concede that Moro has grassroots support, but many also want to experience new hands.

Many of the fresh aspirants like Olofu and Agbo are reaching out to the people using new approaches and preaching accessibility.

While those like Onjeh and Ojobo who have contested for the seat before are doing much to correct the mistakes they made in the past.

Though Moro has been able to clinch the minority leader position in the Senate, it does not in any way equate the senate presidency seat which Mark occupied to give him an overwhelming support in the zone.

But the days ahead would prove who is actually on ground.