2019: Why I withdrew from Benue governoship race under PDP – Terhemen Tarzor

Former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Prince Terhemen Tarzor has revealed the reason why he decided to withdrew from the Benue State governoship race under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Tarzor in a press statement made available on Friday September, 2018 entitled “WHY I BOW OUT OF THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE UNDER THE PDP-RT.HON PRINCE TERHEMEN TARZOOR,Ph”

He further wrote “MY FELLOW COMPATRIOTS

You will recall that I joined the 2015 Benue governorship in 2012 with a vision to make Benue State greater. This vision was driven by my patriotic desire ganered through my long years in the public and private sectors. As an aspirant, I took my consultations to the people; the poor, the downtrodden, farmers bureaucrats, academia and the entire citizens. I am glad that our message sacked and the people and our party – the PDP -accepted our renewed vision for the state.

“Constantly, with your overwhelming support I emerged the party’s candidate in a keenly contested primaries in November 2014. The primaries rekindled my hope, our hope in a new Benue. Armed with the party’s ticket, we navigated the entire Benue landscape – from Ado to Anyii, from Ogbadibo to Vandeikya, from Tse Agberagba to Oju, from Naka to Tarka and from Gboko to Otukpo, we took our message of A Greater Benue to the people. We were sure of victory, not for ourselves but for the Benue people.

“However, we lost at the general elections. Worried by some anomalies arising from the outcome of that elections, I challenged the outcome at the Governirship Election Petition Tribunal but we failed to retrieve our mandate. We would go further to challenge the outcome in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court but both courts did not deliver judgment in our favour, leaving party faithfuls and supporters in despair.

“Despite the persecution our party members went through in the hands of the opposition, we on. Preaching the message of hope, we set the party alight and held sway when several people -including key party officials who held key appointments either deserted or decamped from the party to achieve their selfish ends. During this period, several of my supporters were harassed, intimidated, threatened, beaten up, detained and some charged to court on frivolous allegations.

“Despite these intimidations, we started the process of uniting party members by visiting our party leadership at various levels and groups with a view to seeing how we could chat a new course at a point that the moral of members was at its lowest ebb.

“Impressed by the renewed desire, I declared my intention in 2017 to run for the governorship of Benue State again in 2019. I immediately commenced consultations with critical stake holders in my party. Within this period, I held several meetings with these stakeholders and once again renewed my desire and commitment to govern the state. I reminded everyone that the challenges that we faced in 2015 have remained unmitigated if not increased and also stressed the need for me to come to the rescue. I am glad that several stakeholders and Benue indigines accepted my diagnosis and prescriptions to the challenges that confronts us as a people.

“However, as we approach the forthcoming primaries in our party, I have witnessed and also experienced several levels of horse trading, mudslinging, character assassination and a new romance with those who paradoxically never shared our vision (in the PDP) in the first place which has left me and my teeming supporters in a culdesac.

“Arising from this dramatic turn of events and having extensively consulted with my family, friends and teeming supporters, I would like to categorically state that I have withdrawn from the 2019 Benue Governorship race. I appeal to my supporters to remain calm and also await further directives.

“I thank the leadership of the party in Benue State for their support all through the years. I particularly thank Distinguished Senator David Mark and Dr Gabriel Suswam for their unflinching support all through the years. I deeply appreciate all my supporters for believing in our collective vision and for having abiding faith in me. I also wish all those vying for the Benue governorship elections and other elective positions best of luck in their aspirations.

God bless Benue State!
God bless Nigeria” he added.