Benue guber consensus, a stakeholders’ collective decision – Analysts

A panel of political analysts has submitted that the ongoing process to arrive at a consensus choice of a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP 2023 governorship candidate in Benue State is a collective decision involving critical stakeholders of the party.

They stated this Thursday, April 21, 2022 on Brothers FM 90.5 audience participatory programme, ‘Burning Issues’ while analysing matters arising from the Benue PDP guber zoning and consensus process.

In his views, a 2023 governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP, Mr Terver Akase maintained that consensus which is provided for in the 2022 amended electoral act, offers an alternative to be explored to see how it works to strengthen internal cohesion within the party.

Akase who is an erstwhile Chief Press Secretary to the Governor acknowledged that even though there might be shortcomings with the process, there was room for improvement, pointing out that dissenting voices are usually a common tenet of democracy, as concerns expressed were an indication that the system will be made to function.

He dispelled insinuations that the consensus arrangement was manipulated by the leader of the party, Governor Samuel Ortom in favour of a particular aspirant, saying it was an open process.

Mr Akase explained that the meeting which produced the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt Hon Titus Uba as consensus aspirant from Zone A, was a collective decision of the party stakeholders from the 14 local governments areas of Benue North-East and North-West senatorial districts who adopted him, stating that the PDP had earlier made the choice of the Deputy Governor, Engr Benson Abounu as consensus aspirant from the Benue South.

While calling on Benue people to tone-down divisiveness and foster social cohesion, Mr Akase appealed to his fellow guber aspirants to look at the bigger picture of the State, saying only one person will emerge as Governor.

Another panelist on the programme, Dr Raymond Anumve who is also a 2023 guber aspirant, noted that the Forum of PDP Governorship Aspirants in the State was actively involved in all the discussions leading to the emergence of two of their colleagues, Rt Hon Uba and Engr Abounu.

Dr Anumve however urged the party leadership to listen to the minority dissenting voices and take deliberate steps to rekindle confidence, noting that the minority will always have a say for improvement of what the majority have agreed on.

Also speaking, a public affairs analyst, Mr Peter Shande pointed out that consensus reduces acrimony, saves cost and strengthens internal democracy to boost the electoral fortunes of a party.

Mr Shande opined that though some aspirants and supporters may express discontent, whoever emerges on consensus should work assiduously to carry everyone along.

Some callers on the programme including Michael Torluam and Akaha Sule tasked the governorship aspirants to accommodate the interest of each other and work as a team to win victory.