Benue South rerun and the politics of representation
By Morgan Adikwu
“When things go wrong in the society, truth is always the first casualty but the discovery of the truth must be a ladder towards a genuine reconcilation”…… Oputa
Furtherance to the nullification of the Benue South senatorial election and a re-run slated for 13th February 2016, there has been an impressive campaign disputes across the two major divides in the forthcoming election.
However, my greatest worry, is the inability of the acclaimed social media activists to redirect the parochial subjective campaign to objective issue based. My idea of a Representative in democratic settings, is a person or group of person chosen by the electorates to act on their behalf and more importantly protect their (electorates) interests.
What is the major interest of zone C’ for now? ROADS! The quality and nature of roads are indices of categorizing a settlement into Township, a Suburbs or Urban areas. It has the capacity to attracts or mars other essentials of good living, because of it’s multiplier effects.
According to the RAMP reports in Benue State : The Rural Access Mobility Projects consists of 18 Rural Roads Projects which were supposed to be executed by the Agriculture Ministry in Benue South Senatorial District of Benue State.
They were the constituency projects for the former Senate President, the distinguished Senator David Mark for the year 2012. The rural roads were meant to give access to farmers to move their Agricultural produce to main markets.
The road projects in Benue South are:
1. Oshigbudu-Obagaji-Okokolo (24km), #100 million 2, Ugbokpo-Edikwu-Opaha (21.1km), #125 million 3. Adum East-Ohuma-Ojuo (11km), #100 million 4. Oju-Ebenta -Uwokwu (23.5km), #135 million 5. Ukwo-Aho-Owukpa (10.9km) #120 million 6. Igumale-Ulayi-Ijigban (14km) #100 million 7. Okpudu-Idiri-Ikomija (9km) #100 million 8. Ochobo-Agadagba-Onyagede (33.7km) #200 million 9. Adoka-Umogidi-Opaha (19.1km) #100 million 10. Ugbokpo-Ojantele-Ikobi (15km) #86.616 million 11. Ogoli-Ipolo-Ipum/cho (10km) #70 million 12. Awulema-Ajegaji-Ogene-Alaglanu (12km) #85 million 13. Efoyo-Ikpogo-Omadewu-Ebay (9km) #85.4 million 14. Aduma East-Adiko-Okwutungbe (8km) #85.112 million 15.Otada-Emichi-Okpamaju-Odudaje (7km) #90.4 million 16. Otobi-Ujume-Edumoga-Ohuma (8km) #85 million 17. Oju-Ujume-Edumoga-Ohuma (9km) #85 million 18. Onobi-Icho-Ajobe-Otukpo (10km) #60 million
The total sum of #1.726.128 billion was budgeted for these roads in the 2012 budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The funds were disbursed, but none of the project was executed.
Instead of convening a debate forum or seminar , as it is done in other climes, between David Mark and Daniel Onjeh. Where David Mark will tell his people, why the abovementioned projects and other abandoned ones were not executed. Where he will be made to understand that, those projects would have touched and improved the lives of millions from the zone.
Even those of us who were discriminated at and denied job opportunity, simply because I don’t have sisters dating those “working” in his office or powerful politicians who are affiliated him, that we would have being enjoying this infrastructure.
Also, Onjeh would have been opportune to intimidate the people of the zone, how/what he intends to do differently to achieve success, where David Mark failed, in representing the zone for the past 16 years. Rather, it is a polemic of either the Tiv nation or Senator George Akume is or not behind the scene.
If the more than 16 years of David Mark representation at the Senate is with content, then the outcry of Akume’s susceptibility should not be a manifesto. Such an elaborate hoax is not just laughable but it also ridicule the candidature of David Mark.
When Akume was to belittled in the PDP, he left PDP and joined ACN, a new political party in the State to contest his election, he never trade that David Mark was responsible or he (Dmark) wanted to colonize the Tiv nation. Election is a test of popularity among a particular people. Or because, David Mark is contesting, APC should be restricted from presenting a candidate?
If Gen Laurence Onoja (rtd) was able to construct road to his hometown as a military officer not as an elected representative and also influenced the creation of his local government area. Then, it is not only an act of negligence but a grave conspiracy of silence, on the part of our senatorial representative, who is not only bereft of his responsibility but could be said to be a benefactor of the spoils from the non execution of the projects at the detriment of the people of zone C.
Inline with the above, if someone else, apart from David Mark is given the opportunity he had, the person would have performed better. So, therefore, the change of our senatorial representative in the forthcoming February 13th, 2016 re-run election is sacrosanct and it is inevitable. “America is rich not because her people are rich but because of her roads” John F. Kennedy.
A good performer leaves the stage, when the ovation is loudest. So thus, a good politician who loses favor of his people, does not hold onto power as if it is a Roman Catholic marriage .
David Mark! Your time is up!!
Treasure Orokpo
A multi-talented individual with a passion for diverse fields, Treasure Orokpo is a trained journalist, skilled cook, and AI enthusiast. When she's not uncovering the latest stories, you can find her whipping up culinary creations in the kitchen and entertainment.
