Moro...the rerun is a walkover for Mark
Former Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro recently spoke with newsmen in Otukpo on the forth coming rerun election for the Benue South senatorial district, the implications of the defection of political bigwigs from the zone, and other issues. George Okoh presents the excerpts:
Recently, notable political leaders in this zone defected to APC. What does this portend for the rerun election of Senator Mark?
To answer your question, what you saw in Otukpo by some politicians, who had used the platform of PDP to get to the zenith of their political career only to defect to APC will not change the election of Mark. Well, they are bigwigs in their own right but let me tell you that elections are won and lost by voters but supporters and sympathizer of Mark are in large numbers, who have resolved to ensure his victory.
To answer your question, what you saw in Otukpo by some politicians, who had used the platform of PDP to get to the zenith of their political career only to defect to APC will not change the election of Mark. Well, they are bigwigs in their own right but let me tell you that elections are won and lost by voters but supporters and sympathizer of Mark are in large numbers, who have resolved to ensure his victory.
So, the defection of politicians will not have negative effect on the result. First, look at the characters that defected. These are the people who were in opposition before PDP won election but defected to join PDP when it won election. When they came they attempted to seize the structure of PDP in their respective locality, these are the same persons moving to APC. I wish APC good luck but I hope they will not ground the party like they did to PDP?
When is PDP kick-starting its campaign for the rerun?
This is a rerun not fresh election. Campaigns for rerun on the side of PDP started since the election was nullified by the appeal court in November. We have strong men and women, who have volunteered themselves going from one place to another within the senatorial district to campaign for the revalidation of the election of the former senate president.
Looking at the achievements of Senator Mark in the last 16 years, what will happen to Idoma if he loses this rerun?
Let me confirm to you today that by His grace, Mark will not lose the rerun because the people of this zone have seen how Mark has given them hope and carved out an identity for Idoma nation in the country. Mark has placed Idoma conspicuously on the map of Nigeria and coupled with the litany of infrastructure development his leadership has attracted to this zone which is unbeatable, the people of this zone have resolved to return Mark to consolidate on the achievements.
There is this rumour doing the rounds that Mark is also considering defection to APC, whether or not he wins?
I think many Nigerians know the character of the man called Mark. He is a man not given to long talk, he says it as it is, if you remember, Mark had at the moment PDP lost the election said nothing whatsoever would make him leave PDP even if it remained the last man standing. So, there is no way Mark will leave PDP.
On the rerun, what do you think is the interest of the Tiv warlords to the extent of demystifying Mark?
I do not know because I am not cut out for rumours. But I think what people are saying is that the towering political credentials and the long list of achievements of Mark to his people, which seems to have dwarfed the political profiles of the other politico in the state may be reasons for such interest. But let me emphasize here that not all Tivs believe in this because there are some sizeable numbers of Tivs, who see Mark as a strong person that has pushed Benue State into the nation's map.
Do you think the Idoma can sustain their relevance in opposition?
With the presence of Mark, Idoma people are more relevant in PDP, because Mark had used this platform to develop the people and had also used it to open the eyes of Nigerians that Idoma man can help stabilize the nation. You all can testify to the many dividends of democracy the Idomas enjoyed under PDP, which are there for all doubting Thomas to see. Is it in terms of appointment both at the state and national levels or infrastructure developments – some completed and some ongoing? All these, we were able to actualise in PDP through Mark.
But within the last few months of the coming of APC, Idoma has not gained anything. Rather, some of the things that were attracted to Idoma land by previous administration are being reversed. For instance is the University of Health and Science, which has been reversed to college of health and sciences. Also, in the state, the appointment of SSG has always been for Idoma. But what do you have now, so also membership of boards. Do you know that the present administration in the state had already grounded the Idomas until someone had to draw their attention to the law surrounding the constitution of board members? So, it is better to be in the party that has respect for Idoma nation.
There was this report of attempted assassination or kidnap of you at the weekend, how true?
Yes, but I thank God for his mercy to have frustrated their efforts. What actually happened is that before this incident, we got intelligence report that some people have penciled down some of us to either get rid of or push out of circulation.
But that fateful day, the vigilance group accosted four young men in a white Toyota Camry with a golden lining, parked opposite the gate of my house about 11pm. When the vigilante people inquired from them their mission at that hour they told them that the fuel in their car was exhausted while they asked whether I was in the house but the vigilante ordered them to leave the place. So, seeing the seriousness in the vigilante group they left only to run into a road block mounted by police. I gathered that upon thorough search of their car, the police found guns, hoods and dangerous weapons, which made police to arrest them and they later confessed that their target was me.
But what could have been their mission?
That I cannot tell, whether they had come to kidnap me or assassinate me, but I got to know that the leader of the group was identified as those who were on the wanted list of police in the state for attempting to kidnap a business woman within the area.
When is PDP kick-starting its campaign for the rerun?
This is a rerun not fresh election. Campaigns for rerun on the side of PDP started since the election was nullified by the appeal court in November. We have strong men and women, who have volunteered themselves going from one place to another within the senatorial district to campaign for the revalidation of the election of the former senate president.
Looking at the achievements of Senator Mark in the last 16 years, what will happen to Idoma if he loses this rerun?
Let me confirm to you today that by His grace, Mark will not lose the rerun because the people of this zone have seen how Mark has given them hope and carved out an identity for Idoma nation in the country. Mark has placed Idoma conspicuously on the map of Nigeria and coupled with the litany of infrastructure development his leadership has attracted to this zone which is unbeatable, the people of this zone have resolved to return Mark to consolidate on the achievements.
There is this rumour doing the rounds that Mark is also considering defection to APC, whether or not he wins?
I think many Nigerians know the character of the man called Mark. He is a man not given to long talk, he says it as it is, if you remember, Mark had at the moment PDP lost the election said nothing whatsoever would make him leave PDP even if it remained the last man standing. So, there is no way Mark will leave PDP.
On the rerun, what do you think is the interest of the Tiv warlords to the extent of demystifying Mark?
I do not know because I am not cut out for rumours. But I think what people are saying is that the towering political credentials and the long list of achievements of Mark to his people, which seems to have dwarfed the political profiles of the other politico in the state may be reasons for such interest. But let me emphasize here that not all Tivs believe in this because there are some sizeable numbers of Tivs, who see Mark as a strong person that has pushed Benue State into the nation's map.
Do you think the Idoma can sustain their relevance in opposition?
With the presence of Mark, Idoma people are more relevant in PDP, because Mark had used this platform to develop the people and had also used it to open the eyes of Nigerians that Idoma man can help stabilize the nation. You all can testify to the many dividends of democracy the Idomas enjoyed under PDP, which are there for all doubting Thomas to see. Is it in terms of appointment both at the state and national levels or infrastructure developments – some completed and some ongoing? All these, we were able to actualise in PDP through Mark.
But within the last few months of the coming of APC, Idoma has not gained anything. Rather, some of the things that were attracted to Idoma land by previous administration are being reversed. For instance is the University of Health and Science, which has been reversed to college of health and sciences. Also, in the state, the appointment of SSG has always been for Idoma. But what do you have now, so also membership of boards. Do you know that the present administration in the state had already grounded the Idomas until someone had to draw their attention to the law surrounding the constitution of board members? So, it is better to be in the party that has respect for Idoma nation.
There was this report of attempted assassination or kidnap of you at the weekend, how true?
Yes, but I thank God for his mercy to have frustrated their efforts. What actually happened is that before this incident, we got intelligence report that some people have penciled down some of us to either get rid of or push out of circulation.
But that fateful day, the vigilance group accosted four young men in a white Toyota Camry with a golden lining, parked opposite the gate of my house about 11pm. When the vigilante people inquired from them their mission at that hour they told them that the fuel in their car was exhausted while they asked whether I was in the house but the vigilante ordered them to leave the place. So, seeing the seriousness in the vigilante group they left only to run into a road block mounted by police. I gathered that upon thorough search of their car, the police found guns, hoods and dangerous weapons, which made police to arrest them and they later confessed that their target was me.
But what could have been their mission?
That I cannot tell, whether they had come to kidnap me or assassinate me, but I got to know that the leader of the group was identified as those who were on the wanted list of police in the state for attempting to kidnap a business woman within the area.
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