Comrade Aluh Moses Odeh, an activist, is the Leader, All Middle Belt Youth Forum (AMBYF). Comrade Odeh, a Labour Party (LP) chieftain and grassroots politician, took part in the recently held Local Government elections in Benue State. In this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU, he speaks on what transpired in that election, even as he comments on other crucial issues. Excerpt:
You took part in the recent Council elections In Benue State. Could you recount what transpired during the election?
The good people of Ugbokolo Ward in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State were with high hopes to choose the person they know has the courage, character and competency to lead them out of the current conundrum and set the place on the path of growth. But they were frustrated by Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia who presided over the worst charade in history as there was no election in Ugbokolo Ward on October 5, 2024, the date of the election. There was no statement from the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) to the electorate on what was happening. Then at 4am the next day, October 6, October, 2024, the Reverend Father. Governor smuggled some persons to the Government House, Makurdi, and inaugurated those products of the charade as Council Executives. The last time we spoke before the election, I made it categorically clear that Alia could not approbate and reprobate at the same time. I had thought that if Gov. Alia sacked the former Council Executives whose election lacked credibility under the watch of his predecessor, Dr. Sam Ortom, that never drains the opposition parties’ candidates of their resources, then Alia would not repeat the same thing. It was our belief that the council election would be an acid test for Governor Alia to prove the philosophical statement in the Catholic Seminary that ‘Oil of Ordination on the head of a crook cannot change a crook to a saint’. My earlier fear when the governor announced his intention to conduct the election was that he would be able to conduct the election since the resources required for that exercise were never captured in the 2024 budget. But, he later acted in a way that appeared real when he presented a supplementary budget of over N6.6 billion for the conduct of the said election that never took place in my council ward and polling units. Gov. Alia raped and murdered democracy in broad day light unchallenged, to the chagrin of several advocacy group. The conduct of the Police and other security operatives in Ugbokolo Ward was impressive as they were in the collation centre of Ugbokolo Ward Odessassa Primary School l, PU 009, very early in their large numbers only to discover that there were no electoral material dispatched to Ugbokolo Ward for onward delivery to the various Polling Units and no staff of Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) was present at the centre till 2pm before they left.
Could you give reasons why you did not win in your ward?
There was no election. That was the reason I could not emerge a winner. From every indication, it was crystal clear that I was the only candidate for the election and I could have won with a landslide with our MUGA Movement, a vision to ‘Make Ugbokolo Great Again’, impacting positively on youth and turning the ward to an ICT hub in Nigeria which aroused the consciousness of every Idogas and people of Ugbokolo Ward across party lines. This was because as we told them during our vision sharing, the two political juggernauts of Ugbokolo Ward in the person Sen. Ameh Ebute (CON), former Senate President and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and Sen. Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other prominent Idogas like Dr. Andrew Ogwuche, Dr. Benjamin Angbo, Dr. John Okoko, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Ameh Agbenu Effa, Chief Henry Agbo’, Mr. Peter Ocheke, Mr. Igomu A Igomu and a host of others left their locations for Ugbokolo to participate in the historic election. But, they were frustrated as there were neither the electoral materials nor the BSIEC staff at the polling units for the election.
Would you confirm if the security agencies and the state electoral agency staff were professional in their conduct of the LG elections in the state?
The Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies in Ugbokolo Ward displayed exceptional conduct on that day with their timely presence at the ward collation centre. They waited patiently for electoral materials and the BSIEC staff till about 2pm before they returned to their base when it was clear to them that there would not be any election. But, for the staff of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) I have no encouraging words for them because they acted in a way that negated the independence of the agency. It was most shameful that the BSIEC Chairman, a lawyer, who should act like the Minister for Justice, killed democracy. The establishment of Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) was to ensure justice and fair play. But these were missing during the local government election.
What are your party, the Labour Party, and the other opposition parties in the state doing to correct any wrong doing by the electoral agency during the council elections in the state?
My party is on ground and is taking its time to study the situation and will come up at the appropriate time to speak on the charade. The Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro of PDP immediately on October 7, 2024 moved a motion in the Red Chamber, which was supported by the two APC Senators from Benue State to the effect that the Benue State LGAs monthly allocations be stopped until proper election is conducted. We supported that motion to ensure that it sees the light of the day.
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In most of the states where local government elections were held, except in Rivers, the ruling parties as happened in Benue, always swept all the seats. Why is this so?
Was it as a result of credible and competent candidates presented by the ruling party of those states that won all the elections? No! It was because Nigerians place a lot on the shoulders of the President who is saddled with greater responsibilities and allowed some governors to continue to wreak havoc on the people with their strangleholds on the neck of LGAs. Everyone has continued to endorse this palace coups against the people through the dysfunctional LGAs orchestrated by some governors because the governors see the local governments as their inheritance, so they must hand pick incompetent stooges to lead our Local Governments so as to discredit one of the best works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who gave Nigerians local government autonomy. It is frustrating that Nigerians do not attach much value to this wonderful work of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting us LGA Autonomy. Our ignorance in Nigeria has grown to a level that we clap for governors that cannot conduct election into their LGAs, but will turn around to castigate the President who presides over 768 LGAs and six Municipal Area Council (in the FCT). People of goodwill should speak out against the evils being perpetrated by our governors, or remain silent.
Would you say that the laws guiding local government elections in the country should be amended for the creation of a national body to be handling local government elections, or would you like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with its shortcomings, to be conducting council polls in addition to its handling of national and state elections?
Nigerians love wastage and duplication of functions too much. If not, why should someone think about the establishment of a new electoral commission that will conduct Local Government elections when INEC is already saddled with such responsibility? All we need to do is increase the workforce of INEC with proper training for it to handle the council elections.
Would you say that what transpired in the Rivers State council election where the All Peoples Party (APP) swept the polls, with Action Alliance (AA) winning one chairmanship seat can stand the test of time and would not be overturned by the courts?
Are you saying this to discredit the willing decision of the people of River State that came out and cast their votes for their choice leaders while on the same day in Benue State it was a repeat of the old order where the candidates of the ruling party were announced winners of a charade in Government House against the provisions of the Benue State Electoral Law (as amended)?
Would you say the state governments are really allowing local government autonomy to prevail? If not, what should be done to check them?
The attitude of the state governor towards the LGA Autonomy is annoying. But, they cannot stop it coming through. Besides, the people are the problem as many do not know what the local government autonomy is all about, especially stooges who do not know the difference between a Bye Law, Law and Act, which were being imposed on the people as Councillors and Chairmen.
Take a look at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). What reforms do you think should be put in place for the agency to live up to expectations?
You do not need any reform again in INEC other than having a good foundation with a good leader. Imagine how the 2022 Electoral Act we all yearned for cannot stand the test of time after 2023 elections. Any reform that does not affect the officials in INEC cannot stand.
