Why I kicked against ambassadorial nominee from Idoma land – Suswam

His words, “My position is a very difficult one because people look at me as if I’m still the Governor of Benue State. Representation is a very difficult thing. When I was Governor, I was representing the entire Benue, but now I represent a zone and when you represent a zone, you must be seen to be speaking for and on behalf of that particular zone. There are difficult things that come with that.

“When they brought the first Ambassadorial nominees which was a Career Ambassador, you know we have so many Tiv people too who are also high in the civil service, they protested but I said no.

“You would recall that when I was the Governor, there were 3 Career Ambassadors, some of them I bought cars for and they are all Idomas except only one career Ambassador that was Tiv. As a Governor, I had much powers then to kick against it but I didn’t. Most of those people are very close to me, the Idoma Ambassadors – one was in Japan, when I went to Japan, he was with me, Adole was there and then this other one that retired lately. I worked closely with the 3 of them as a Governor.

“This time, I’m representing zone A, if I don’t talk, they won’t elect me again, so, I have to talk and do politics of representation. When I was a Governor, I took Idoma people as part of me. I was kind to them in areas of appointments, infrastructures and others. I cannot come to the National Assembly and hold a different view of them. It is just that I represent zone A now and if you critically look at it, no single federal appointment has gone to Zone A in this dispensation”, Suswam explained.

“Ordinarily, he should have brought him to me, but he said sign and I signed. Meanwhile, zone C already had an Ambassador, so when they brought the list and I saw 2 names and there was none from Zone A, I felt my zone was not fairly treated. That was the basis of the argument. It is not like I don’t love Idoma people.

“I was just talking so that, even if this isn’t going to happen, when next the opportunity comes, they would know that Zone A is vacant.

“Since Tarzoor left for APC he has not visited me or called me for once, but when he was nominated, he came straight here to inform me of his nomination, he went to Abba Moro and Orker Jev too. But this man you people are talking about, I don’t even know him, he has not even called Abba Moro on phone or look for him. Abba Moro doesn’t know him. He didn’t see anyone of us. Even Abba Moro was not happy, how can they nominate someone from his constituency, and he can’t even look for him.

“But aside that, my point is that, if Zone C has 3 Ambassadors, then they should step that one down and take it to my zone that has none. It is not because I don’t like Idoma people. My closest friends are from Idoma. If you watch clearly, anything that Abba Moro brings to the floor, I’m always there to support him. Sometimes I would be the one to encourage him and urge him to do more, because, if he doesn’t talk, his people would say he is not doing anything”, Suswam submitted.