Former national chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former minister and now the incumbent senator for Benue Northeast Senatorial District arguably would like to return to the Senate in 2015. That aspiration is increasingly being caught in the amazing plans to return the outgoing governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam to the Senate.

BY PETER DURU

Political activities are gradually heating up across Benue State, especially with the deluge of posters and hand bills of political office seekers being mounted and posted in strategic positions around major towns and villages in the state.

However, outside the gubernatorial race which has over 27 aspirants contending to succeed incumbent Governor Gabriel Suswam, the  major attraction for pundits across the state remains the race for the Benue North East senatorial seat where former National Chairman of the ruling PDP, Chief Barnabas Gemade, currently holds sway.
There are however strong indications that there could be a titanic clash between the incumbent, Senator Gemade and Governor Gabriel Suswam who also hails from that senatorial constituency for that seat in 2015.

Though Governor Suswam has not come out to declare his intention, his vague responses and the body movement of some of his associates have pointed towards a potential clash with Gemade.
Towards the end of last year he told newsmen that he was not looking towards that direction adding that “by 2014 I will tell you whether I’ll be running or not.”

Suswam also noted that declaring his intentions earlier than necessary would undoubtedly over heat the polity and further distract him from focusing on the immediate task of availing the people desired and purposeful leadership.
While the governor has kept sealed lips on the matter, several groups and notable individuals have continued to mount pressure on him to jettison his “wait and see attitude” and join the fray.

These groups and invidious have also gone ahead to mount billboards and posters around Makurdi town and the Benue North Esat senatorial zone, painting pictures of the Governor’s accomplishments, all in a bid to drag him into the race.
One of those in the frontline of Suswam Senate project is the maverick Chief Atozan Hindan, regarded in many quarters as the political godfather of the Governor.

Hindan, remarkably, is married to Senator Gemade’s blood sister and would otherwise have been expected to lead the re-election campaign of his in-law, has relentlessly championed the cause of his political godson.
It is a known fact there is no love lost between Hindan and Gemade, and the two have of late been embroiled in a face off and battle for political supremacy in the senatorial zone.

In fact, few weeks ago, the elder statesmen, who are regarded as a major voice in the area mobilized notable politicians from the senatorial zone during an elaborate ceremony to literally cajole the governor to formally join the race.
But known for his unassuming political disposition, Suswam has continued to keep sealed lips, but observers of unfolding developments in the state are of the view that the governor’s body language clearly indicates that he could join the race in no distant future.

Speaking on the development, Benue State Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP,  Mr. Baba Agan told Vanguard that, “there is nothing wrong with Governor Suswam seeking to go to the senate.
“We all know that it is the trend in most states; seating governors always ease out of office by going to the Senate, and the case of Suswam will not be any different.”

“It is his constitutional right to contest, but I believe that the man may not find it easy dethroning Senator Gemade because whether we like it or not, the incumbent senator is a political force to be reckoned with in the politics of Benue and the country at large.”
“I must however add that the contest will not be an interesting one because while we await the Governor’s declaration of intent,  we must also not lose touch of the fact that the opposition in the state is not taking anything for granted because the race will certainly not be a PDP affair,” Agan warned.

Also reacting to the unfolding political panorama, retired police commissioner and socio-critic, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav posited that it was not unexpected that Suswam would  want to run for the senatorial seat.
According to him, “Suswam will run, he has  performed enough to merit the slot. If the likes of former Governor George Akume and others are in the Senate, why not Suswam who has performed creditably?

“It is the trend and we do not expect anything different, moreover Governor Suswam has in the last seven years availed the people of Benue state purposeful leadership unlike his predecessor who is now in the senate, therefore he should be given that opportunity at the appointed time.”
Tsav added, “The young man is on top of his game at the moment and i don’t see him faltering” the renowned political commentator added.

Meanwhile Governor Suswam keeps his political game plan close to his chest, pundits believe that when the going gets tough, senator Gemade could still fall back to his political pedigree and clout within the PDP family to undo Governor Suswam if he eventually makes up his mind to vie for the seat.
Though it is common knowledge that the Gemade camp is somewhat jittery of a Suswam incursion, many  believe that the senator could also rely on his close political affinity with the Senate President, David Mark to unstring whatever permutations that is favorably disposed to the Suswam cause.

It is no secret that both Senators Mark and Gemade have some political alliance that has been extended to outside the Senate.
It is also to Senator Mark’s interest to sustaining Gemade in the Senate given increasing permutations that Suswam could on arriving the Senate contest for the Senate leadership given his eight year cognate experience in the House of Representatives which would make him eligible.

If he doesn’t contest, he could also add to the number of former governors in the Senate who could mobilize to stop Mark from a possible straight twelve years as Senate President.
But what is left to be seen is whether the duo can muscle enough sufficient political firepower to thwart the political ambition of a Governor who enjoys an unquantifiable political goodwill among the Tiv and Idoma political class that may not hesitate to queue behind their Governor at the defining moment.

Moreover, It is also a known fact that Suswam has never lost any election since the advent of the present democratic dispensation right from his days at the House of Representatives and watchers of the unfolding drama are clearly of the view that the coming senatorial election may  not be any different.