[OPINION] Why Titus Uba is the option for Benue in 2023

Dr Daniel Chile

Thank you very much Mr Tersoo Kula, Head of Communication, Alia Campaign Organisation for 2023, and for also acknowledging that you were actually my student at the Benue state university, and a good one for that matter. I am always proud of you because you diligently received my training wholeheartedly, making valid comments towards defending your daily bread and a course you so much believe in.

However, I wonder why a student who learnt the act of writing under my tutelage would want to drag me into unnecessary issues that require very apt and simple answers. It then means that such a student did not properly understand some aspects of the writing skills very well. I feel it is very incorrect for my student and good friend to continuously keep dragging me into a gang of insulting and challenging political elders of the status of Akume and Alia. The duo, I assume are very respected stakeholders in Benue State and beyond. It is wise that my student will convincingly assume that at my level of academic experience and exposure, I have no right to take a stand on political issues that could reshape this state.

My friend, Tersoo, also thinks that his opinion on dragging a respected PDP governorship aspirant into muddy waters should end there without anyone having a counter opinion.
It is also very sad that my student would think that a man of my pedigree is desperate to truthfully make submissions about someone rather than making money out of the situation. It is rather sad for my friend to wrongly think that way because as a senior academic, I earn very good allowances that has sustained me over the years having put in 14 years of meritorious service with out any blemish.

Unfortunately, in trying to defend his job and party, he has disabused our friendship of many years, completely compelling me to a jobless media thug. He forgot that I am capable on my own to speak on the issues of both state and federal interest that can stand for the benefit of the Benue public. I wish to clearly punctuate that I’m not just a street communication consultant, but qualified and gazetted, a distinguished communication expert with sterling qualities replicating in Tersoo, who today describes me as writing because of food. Too bad!

It is obviously wrong thinking that Tersoo would assume with all the fundamental human rights enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, I still have no right and freedom of association to speak about Rt Hon. Titus Uba, who emerged from one of the best organised party primaries without any litigations, unlike the shabbily and dubious organised broom primaries that deliberately relegated due process, as it is today being challenged by other candidates.

I thought your delay in responding to my earlier reply to your attack on Uba was to present to us in clear terms what your preferred candidate can do differently, on the glaring issues that you think are eminent here in Benue alone, not knowing you were only digesting books to come reappear and quote literature and figures as response.

I still wish to remind you that you are not in the position to ask the people of Benue state to reject Uba, when you cannot provide a reliable alternative to them. That is my major worry. I feel you should come up with an alternative position on what can be done differently. I am also not against your interrogation on the candidature of Uba, but where is your alternative? This is why I have come out to refute your position as mere deceit on the unsuspecting Benue public, which I think I have no apology about.

It also baffles me that a State Assembly where a group of lawmakers converge to make laws on issues collectively bordering on the state should be blamed on each and every one who represents his or her constituency. The Speaker of the House does not have the sole right to lord over distinguished members of the assembly, but every issue done collectively in agreement and any decision the house takes, is the best decision at that point, therefore, the assembly is not a one man show.

Also, because of my informed position on public affairs issues, I have not seen anywhere the policy document of your principal, Rev. Alia, is explicitly unveiled on the social space for public scrutiny. I think you can do better by throwing it up as a way of shedding more light to the masses. Manifesto which is public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate. Unfortunately, the pieces of ideas that you have listed in your literature have nothing to do with proffering the solutions to the problems faced today by the state not to talk of establishing a social contract with the Benue people.

You should also be mindful that governance is entirely different from religious and mass manipulation. You must also be aware that anyone who applies for a job, the first thing that is asked for is the person’s experience. So in choosing who would govern the state in 2023, we need to ask questions about who is competent enough and had done something similar to what we desire. Leadership has so much to do with the roles one has played in his or her previous or various assignments.

My charge here is very simple, let us be careful to elect someone who, first of all, understands what the problems of Benue state is right now and has an idea on how we can move the state forward. I believe that it is imperative Uba can take Benue forward. The world is constantly in motion and anything that is standing still is definitely going backward. Yes, we have genuine problems; insecurity issues, infrastructure, and nonpayment of salaries and pensions, but we still have to make progress. So, let us weigh Uba on the scale of his competence for the job.

Dr Chile is a Public Affairs Analyst and Communication Consultant