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Tag: Suswam

  • Suswam loses senatorial seat to Gemade

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has lost in his bid to return to the National Assembly after an eight-year stint as a governor.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Suswam was elected governor in 2007 after serving two terms as a member of the House of Representatives.

    Suswam lost to a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barnabas Gemade, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Announcing the results at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Makurdi, the Returning Officer for Benue North, Prof. Mohammed Adah, said Gemade polled 140,715 votes to beat Suswam, who polled 118,603 votes.

    He said 661,067 voters registered for the election, with 290,446  accredited, while 266,232 votes were counted as valid.

    Adah said rejected votes were 5,096 and the number of votes cast was 271,328.

    Mr. Emmanuel Udende of the PDP won the Sankera Federal Constituency seat.

    He beat Shimataver Atezeh of the APC to retain his membership of the National Assembly.

    Announcing the results in Makurdi, the Returning Officer, Mr. Moses Agbaji, said Udende scored 71,359 votes to beat Atezeh, who had 24,358 votes.

    The PDP agent for the senatorial election, Mr. Solomon Wombo, called for the cancellation of the polls, alleging irregularities in four local governments.

    NAN reports that both results were declared in Makurdi, instead of Katsina-Ala, the headquarters of the senatorial district, because of protests that broke out during the collation of the results, which led to the burning down of an INEC office at Ugba.

  • Benue: Suswam, Akume, Gemade promise to accept results

    Benue: Suswam, Akume, Gemade promise to accept results

    FEARING possible breakdown of law and order following the outcome of the National Assembly election in Benue State, contestants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have promised to accept elections’ results in good faith.

    It started when APC candidate for Benue Northeast Senatorial District, Senator Barnabas Gemade, visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Makurdi for senatorial election’s result.

    The result ought to have been announced at the district office, Katsina Ala.

    Gemade, a serving senator, who defected to APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he won convincingly, but  other contestants were not satisfied with the outcome.

    He spoke to reporters after a brief meeting with the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Istifanus Dafwang, early yesterday morning.

    Gemade said the declaration of the result of the National Assembly election was transferred to the INEC headquarters as a result of reported threats of violence in the area.

    He said: “I’m here to receive my result because the collation of the senatorial district in Benue Northeast Senatorial District has been brought to Makurdi.

    “This is because the atmosphere in Katsina Ala was not conducive. Therefore, INEC ordered that all the various local governments should bring all the collated results to Makurdi and that’s why I’m here.

    “There were threats that the  office (collation centre) would be burnt down. I don’t know who was threatening, but there were threats against us in two local governments – Logo and Kanshisha local government areas.

    “In fact, two offices were actually burnt. But luckily enough, the results were already taken out before the offices were burnt down.

    “I won the election absolutely; very clear. But somehow, it appears that the losers are not quite happy and are chasing the wind to cause commotion and destruction.”

    But, appearing later with Gemade and Senator George Akume after meeting with the REC few hours later, Governor Gabriel Suswam said he was at the INEC headquarters to lodge complaints over some irregularities during the polls.

    He, however, promised to accept the outcome of the election as presented by the electoral body.

    Saying election should not be a do-or-die, the governor implored other contestants to accept the result in good faith.

    On his part, the Senate Minority Leader, who also won his senatorial district election, reiterated his trust in the governor to abide by the rule of law.

    Akume assured that being a lawmaker, he would not take the law into his own hands over the outcome of the election.

    Gemade also assured that he was ready to accept the election result as released by INEC.

    The three contestants left the premises after some exchange of pleasantries and back-slapping.

     

  • Benue Northeast: Suswam, Gemade battle for Senate

    Benue Northeast: Suswam, Gemade battle for Senate

    In Benue Northeast District, the die is cast between Governor Gabriel Suswam, the senatorial candidate of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Barnabas Gemade, who is running on the platform of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ). UJA EMMANUEL examines the preparations for the poll and the chances of the aspirants.

    The senatrial election in the Benue Northeast District promises to be a battle of titans. The contest is between Governor Gabriel Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the former National Chairman of the party, Chief Barnabas Gemade, who is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The two personalities are political heavyweights. Governor Suswam is fondly called the “Civilian General“ by his political associates.

    Since he joined politics in 1999, he has never lost a contest.In 1999, he  contested for the House of Representatives in Ukum/Logo/Katsina Ala Constituency  and won. In 2003, he was elected for a second term. Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, his opponent, Mamud Akiga, challenged it at the tribunal. But, Suswam won at the Appeal Court in Jos.

    Suswam contested for governor in 2007 as a lawmaker and won. He was re-lected in 2011. After the 2011 elections, he faced a protracted litigation.  The candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prof. Steven Ugbah, backed by Senator George Akume, gave him a run for his money. He pursued the matter from the tribunal to the Appeal Court.

    Now, Suswam has set his eyes on the Benue Northeast senatorial seat. The seat is currently occupied by the APC candidate.

    Going by his antecedents, Suswam is not likely to give up easily. His body language suggests that he is determined to take over the seat, using the advantage of being the incumbent governor. He had used the incumbency factor to defeat Gemade at the party primaries, before the latter defected to the APC to pursue his ambition of returning to the Upper Chamber.

    This is the sentiment being field by Suswam’s political bloc, the Sankera, which controls three out of the five local governments in the district.

    Suswan is expected to receive massive votes from the zone and his foot soldiers would work for additional votes in the other two local government areas: Kwande/Ushongo and Konshisha/Vandeikya. This, according to observers, puts Gemade at a disadvantage.

    As a result, Suswam has a better chance of defeating his opponent. But, politics is no Mathematics; particularly as his main challenger is also an experienced politician.

    Gemade came to limelight as the Mnanaging Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Benue Cement Company( BCC), now known as Dangote Cement Gboko,Benue State.

    Since then, he has never looked back. At the time he was in-charge of BCC, the company was at its peak of production with almost 100 trailers on three shift production. This is a record no other chief executive of the company has beaten.

    He was appointed Secretary of Works. Later, the late General Sani Abacha regime  appointed him chairman of CNC.

    He became the National Chairman of the PDP during the Obasanjo era and later, a member of the Board of Trustee (BOT). He was a founding member of the party .

    Gemade is not new to political contest. In 2007, he contested for the Benue Northeast seat against Joseph Akaageger, but the election was inconclusive. However, events in Benue South, where Gen. David Mark was squaring up against Gen. Lawrence Onoja, compelled President Obasanjo to declare Mark winner. Akaagerger, who was set for a second ballot against Gemade, became a beneficiary by default.

    But, in 2011, Gemade defeated Akaagerger, who latter picked the defunct ACN ticket and again lost to Gemade at the general election.

    During the build up to the PDP senatorial primaries. Gemade cried foul. He said Suswam has manipulated the process against him. After a series of petitions and complaints at the PDP National Secretariat, Gemade dumped the party for the APC, where he subsequently contested the party’s senatorial primaries.

    During the APC campaign flag-off in Zakibiam, Gemade told his supporters that he is capable of defeating Suswam in a free and fair contest.

    Suswam has asked the people of Benue Northeast District to evaluate his performance as a federal lawmaker and governor.

    The governor also told his audience during local government election in Wannune that any time he sets his eyes on anything, he goes for it and makes sure that he gets it.

  • Suswam, lawmakers on collision course

    Suswam, lawmakers on collision course

    •Over financial records

    Governor Gabriel Suswam and members of the Benue State House of Assembly are on a collision course, following an invitation extended to three key government officials to appear before plenary tomorrow for questioning on financial records.

    The lawmakers first passed a resolution demanding financial records from the Special Adviser to the Governor of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Solomom Wombo, the Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Gabriel Asen and Commissioner for Finance, Omadachi Oklobia.

    The House asked for revenue records and money accruing from the agencies from the federation account and internally-generated revenue from January last year to date to be forwarded to them, last Thursday.

    However, on that day, the government officials failed to forward the documents requested by the Assembly,  the legislators became annoyed and extended another invitation and ordered that they should appear tomorrow unfailingly or risk arrest.

    The Nation investigation showed that the government officials may not appear before plenary because the executive arm of the government has lost the Commissioner for Rural Development and Cooperatives, who died recently.

    A commissioner, who pleaded anonymity, told The Nation that it was unreasonable on the part of the lawmakers to arm-twist the executive arm of government with a summon when they have lost a key government official.

    The commissioner said the timing of the invitation was wrong because the executive arm was mourning, “so the lawmaker should put the invitation on hold till further notice.”

    A governor’s aide told The Nation that Governor Suswam might have instructed the government officials not to honour the invitation.

     

  • ‘Suswam has made change in Benue easier’

    ‘Suswam has made change in Benue easier’

    Benue State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Dr. Samuel Ortom, has said Governor Gabriel Suswam’s maladministration has made it easier for change to take place in the state.

    Ortom spoke at his grand reception and unveiling as APC governorship candidate at the Ibrahim Babangida Square in Makurdi, the state capital.

    He said: “A situation where you cannot pay workers’ and teachers’ salaries as well as pensions to our fathers and mothers provides an enabling environment for change to take place.”

    The APC candidate said the protracted strike by primary school teachers and academic staff of five tertiary institutions in the state, besides the closure of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, had increased the number of those ready to vote out the governor’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had been ruling the state since 1999.

    Ortom said: “I’m here to bring that change. APC will do the change.

    “At the national level, the people are yearning for change in favour of General Muhammadu Buhari, a man with integrity and can deliver on his promises; a man that will fight corruption.”

    The former Minister of State for Industry noted that with his experience in all tiers of government, he was conversant with the challenges, yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    He promised to proffer solutions to the challenges facing the state.

  • Suswam: we must have faith

    Suswam: we must have faith

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has urged the citizens to be faithful to the nation’s unity and indivisibility.

    According to him, Nigerians should reject the notion by “doomsayers” that the country would breakdown this year.

    The governor said most developed countries had travelled through the same path, adding that they did not breakdown because of political turbulence, which he said was inevitable.

    Suswam said the United States (U.S.) endured political hiccups and downturns for many years before it matured to a frontline democracy, envied by the world.

    He called on the political class to tolerate each other, stick to the rule of the game, and engage in issue-based politics ahead of the general elections in February.

    According to him, the people have already been traumatised by the activities of insurgents, advising politicians not to make matters worse by engaging in political activities capable of further undermining the nation’s security.

  • Suswam, others for Benue youth carnival

    Suswam, others for Benue youth carnival

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, commissioners and prominent residents are among eminent people expected at this year’s Benue Youth Cultural Carnival procession.

    The procession will start from the Benue State University’s (BSU’s) second campus and move through major streets. It will terminate at the IBB Square in Makurdi, the state capital.

    Thje Benue Youth Cultural Carnival is the biggest youth fiesta in the North and it is an annual cultural show held throughout December.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Students and Youths Affairs, Comrade Terfa Akume, told our reporter that this year’s carnival procession would include cultural activities, such as masquerade display, beauty pageant, puppet show, traditional music and folks tales.

  • Yuletide: Suswam upgrades infrastructure

    Yuletide: Suswam upgrades infrastructure

    A pleasant surprise awaits those travelling to Benue State for the end-of-year holiday. Since November bulldozers and other machinery have been ploughing up and shaping up major roads and streets in the state, especially those in the capital Makurdi and its environs. Streetlights are also being fixed.

    The moribund solar-powered streetlights have come to life, illuminating Makurdi at night.

    Iorchia Ayu Road, Wurukum, one of the majority roads, which is an entry point into the capital, has been reconstructed by contractors Hajiag Nig. Limited.

    Another major street that is a delight to drive through is Osuman Ihyembe Street in Wurukum.

    Benue State Commissioner of Works, Chief John Ngbede told our correspondent that Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration takes continuous infrastructural upgrade seriously.

    Motorists said they were happy that the pot-holes were being fixed.

  • Honour for Suswam’s wife

    Honour for Suswam’s wife

    After raising the profile of Benue women for seven years, wife of the state governor, Mrs Yemisi Suswam has herself been honoured.

    Through her project, the Sev Av Foundation, she helped women, the needy and children, among others. Now, the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in the state has singled her out for recognition, calling her mother par excellence.

    Several dignitaries attended the event which took place at IBB Square, Makurdi, the state capital. First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan was represented by the wife of Senate president, Helen Mark.

    From the 23 local government areas the state women groups turned up too. They also came with a truck-load of presents which included oranges, fish, meat and all kind of farm produce in their locality. The Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Steven Lawani also graced the occasion.

    It was a day Benue women demonstrated their love and admiration for the governor’s wife as they marched past her while she took the salute.

    In their goodwill message, representatives of Benue Zone A, B and C, Mrs Margaret Igbetar, Elizabeth Ivase and Susan Adoba said Mrs Suswam has made a great impact in the lives of the state women.

    The guest speaker and Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri commended the NCWS for honouring the governor’s wife, urging them to keep supporting her. Chairman of the occasion and Minister of Interior Comrade Abba Moro and lady chair of the occasion, former deputy governor of Plateau State Mrs Pauline Tallen both spoke in the same vein, saying Mrs Suswam has positively affected women and the less privileged.

    Dame Patience Jonathan described the honoree as a kind and dependable friend deserving of honour.

    The governor’s wife thanked the NCWS for the honour, urging more women to participate in politics and governance.

    Governor Gabriel Suswam, who came late to the event, congratulated his wife, saying that soon he would set up a committee to celebrate men as well.

  • David Mark, Suswam unopposed in Benue

    David Mark, Suswam unopposed in Benue

    Senate President David Mark was returned unopposed as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Benue South Senatorial Zone flag-bearer.

    His opponent, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mike Onoja, stepped down shortly after accreditation.

    Onoja said he acted without any pressure and asked his supporters to take it in good faith.

    In Benue North East Senatorial Zone, Governor Gabriel Suswam was also returned unopposed as his opponent, Senator Barnabas Gemade, had earlier withdrawn from the race.

    Results of the state’s PDP House of Representatives’ primaries conducted last Saturday showed that Bernard Nenger was returned unopposed for Gboko/ Tarka Federal Constituency, Bob Tyough defeated incumbent Benjamin Aboho for Kwande/ Ushongo.

    Incumbent Emmanuel Udende Jike Tor Dwem won for Katsina Ala, Ukum and Logo Federal Constituency with Mrs. Mnena Shija, an engineer and former Works commissioner, winning to represent Jechira Federal constituency.

    Chris Abah sent incumbent Federal lawmaker for Ado-Okpokwu-Ogbadigbo Federal Constituency, Hassan Saleh, packing.

    In another development, a PDP governorship aspirant, Paul Harris, Ogbole, has withdrawn from today’s primaries.

    Ogbole said his withdrawal was personally, adding that he remained a loyal party man.