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Benue: PDP�s looming crisis
Dotun Oladipo
It obviously will be the Peoples Democratic Party fighting against itself when the people of Oju/Obi Federal Constituency in Benue State go to the poll in a by-election to fill a vacant position in the House of Representatives. That will be if the disagreement over who should fill the slot is not sorted out before the election scheduled for July 3, 2004. Some of the party�s supporters are kicking against the ceding of the position to a candidate from Obi Local Government Area instead of allowing the people of Oju Local Government Area, from where the late occupant of the seat, Chief Altine Idikwu, hails, to produce the candidate. The contention of those threatening a showdown with the party was based on the failure of the party to adhere to the zoning principle of the area. They argue that Oju LGA should produce the House of Representatives candidate since the position of the state�s deputy governor is being occupied by a citizen of Obi LGA, Prince Ogiri Ajene.
According to a petition sent to the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja by two prominent members of the party from the Igede clan in Oju LGA, Messrs Ede Obaike and Onah Idikwu, the people are alleging that the emergence of one Augustine Adikpe as the PDP candidate for the election was manipulated by Ajene. According to them, the subsisting zoning arrangement of the Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, adopted in 1999, had been tampered with in this instance. The arrangement gave Zone A, made up of Owo, Iyeche and Oye Oboru clans, the House of Assembly and commissioner�s positions while Zone B comprising Oju, Ibila and Ukpa clans should produce the member of the House of Representatives. The position of the local government chairman, by the arrangement, has been ceded to Zone C comprising Uwokwu, Ainu and Idele clans. The arrangement was to subsist until 2006/2007 when another was expected to be put in place for the 2007 general elections.
On the basis of this, the people of the constituency thought the arrangement would apply when Idikwu died. But to their chagrin, according to the petition, Ajene, the political head of the zone, never called a meeting to decide on the candidate for the election until June 10, 2004. The meeting was scheduled to hold at the Oju LGA Secretariat with a few leaders of thought from the area. But for those who came for the meeting scheduled to commence at 10 am, it was a big disappointment as they waited in vain until 8 pm when Ajene�s aides came to inform them that the meeting had been held at the state capital, Makurdi, and Adikpe chosen. That same day, the petition alleged, Adikpe was given the nomination form by the party as it marked the end of the period given for filing of interest to partake in the election with the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Said the petition, �The Deputy Governor�s message was vehemently opposed by the party members who insisted that the position must remain in Zone B in Oju LGA. They (Ajene�s aides) were told emphatically that the position cannot stand. The tension at the meeting was so high that some members for fear of their lives had to leave the meeting. It was only God that prevented the situation from degenerating into a serious crisis.� The petitioners said they had an inkling that such an event was going to take place. They alleged that two weeks before the June 10 meeting, Adikpe, whose educational qualification they alleged does not go beyond a Teachers� Grade II, had a party in his house to celebrate his victory. Adikpe was alleged to have said Ajene had endorsed his intention to run.
The people of the area, according to Obaike and Idikwu, rejoiced when Ajene was appointed Deputy Governor but that things have since turned around. They said in the petition, �In 1999 when Prince Ogiri Ajene was elected the Deputy Governor of Benue State, the highest position ever attained by an Igede man, the people saw him as a light of hope for the emancipation of Igede, a people greatly marginalised both at the state and national levels. This made the people rally round to give him all the support to make sure he succeeds. But few months into their administration it was discovered the man has a different agenda to pursue personal ambition.� They therefore called on the leadership of the party at the national level to avert the defeat of the PDP in the by-election by reverting the nomination of Adikpe and allowing for a more democratic way of choosing the candidate for the election.
One of Ajene�s aides, however, denied the fact that the Deputy Governor imposed Adikpe on the people. The aide, who sought for anonymity, said that Ajene was not a dictator as he normally consults the people before taking any decision. He said those behind the petition were opposed to Ajene because of his rising political profile.
A source at the PDP national headquarters in Abuja confirmed that the national leadership of the party was already looking into the case. The source assured that the matter would be speedily and amicably resolved before election to avoid the defeat of the party.
At present, the PDP dominates the political scene in the state. The party produced the state Governor, Mr. George Akume, and also produced the majority members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly. Will the present crisis tear the party apart?
The PUNCH, Wednesday, June 30, 2004
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