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Deacon Dan Abbagu was a former governorship aspirant in Benue State under the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2007, but lost the primary election to incumbent Governor Gabriel Suswan.
Deacon Abbagu who retired as Assistant General Manager, Security department of the multi-national corporation, Exxon Mobile, bares his mind on the forthcoming general elections, especially as it concerns the Benue State governorship tussle. The politician insisted that for fairness, justice and equity, an Idoma from the Benue South Senatorial district, popularly known as zone C should be allowed to become the next governor of the state.
You tried to become the governor of Benue State in 2007. How did it happen?
Yes, in 2007, the governorship of Benue state was actually zoned to Sankara. Therefore I came in there to make sure that we get what belongs to us. There were many of us in the field but eventually we all agreed as a party on the present Governor Gabriel Suswan who is also from Sankara. That was what we wanted and we got what we wanted.
I actively participated in politicking for him so that at the end of it he won that first round and then the second time around also. So that’s it.
So you supported him as somebody from your zone.
Yes I supported him. What I was fighting for was to make sure that my zone got the term of the governor and we all came out. Any of us could have served in that position. So we all met and agreed on him and gave him our support and he is there.
So what is your take on the Suswan administration in Benue State so far?
I think he has done the best he could do. That is what I could say. He has done the best that he could.
Now with the next governorship contest in view, what are your perspectives?
I think Benue state has provided a very interesting scenario and I hope that they will continue like that until the right thing is done.
You see, in Benue, we comply with zoning system. We have not deviated from it. Last time around like I told you, it was time for Sankara and Sankara did point on Gabriel Suswan to hold the aces.
I could remember at that time, we had to even donate votes from zone C for him to make up the nomination and I am hoping that this time, zone C will be compensated for this.
So what I am saying in short is, I think zone A, zone B have enjoyed shots at governorship and this time around I am sure the governor himself is thinking towards zoning this to zone C this time around.
But I think the way things are done in Benue State, we have three zones, each of these zones has a senator. So if we have shared the senatorial positions equally, we should as well share the governorship position equally. And if zones A and B have enjoyed it, then I think naturally now, it should be zone C, unless the party thinks otherwise. But if I were in the position to make a choice, I would say it should be the turn of zone C this time.
Are you calling on the party to make this a policy statement as regards the zoning?
I think that is what the party, the PDP should do. I think one of the problems that have been working against zone C is the population. The Tiv population is two times more than them and they will always want to have it by all means because they feel zone C is in the minority.
Well, I don’t think there is an issue of minority or majority here. I think it is an issue of fairness, justice and equity. When you look at it, zone A has seven local government areas, zone B has seven local government areas, zone C has nine local government areas.
So when you are talking about population, how do you measure this population? Because if you are saying that these people with nine local government areas are minority and you are comparing them with people with seven local government areas each, I don’t see the sound argument there.
But what I would want to say is that if you have looked at this as people and zoned them into three groups and given each of them a senator, then the i ssue of minority should not come there. Because if they were minority, they shouldn’t have had a senator just like the other zones have.
The issue that should be emphasized here is that if we are truly practicing zoning like we have practiced zoning in terms of senatorial seat, why can’t we practice zoning when it comes to gubernatorial seat.
Some of your Tiv brothers are alleged to have sworn that over their dead bodies would an Idoma person become governor. Is it really an abomination?
Well, you see people are free to make their opinion and I think I am also free to air my opinion. But I think that these things are done depending on the circumstances.
Whatever the case, I am sure they must have made it due to certain circumstances and those circumstances have changed now. So I think for purpose of good integration, fairness, justice and equity, they could have a change of mind. I am sincerely believing that they could have a change of mind.
And I know we have an amiable governor who thinks very straight and I am sure he will not be against that kind of thing.
So would you now urge the outgoing governor to payback the support he got from Zone C in 2007?
Yes, you might call it that. I think in politics, it is piggyback, it is a piggyback game. So I think if someone donated votes to him at that time, it should be a payback time.
I don’t want to really base it on the payback bases. I want to base it on fairness, justice and equity. That this thing has been rotating from one zone to another, why can’t we try zone C also? And if we are saying that zone C is too small, then why do we retain it as a senatorial zone?
Source:Vanguard
