Julius Toba, Abuja
LESS than 24 hours after their Governor, Gabriel Suswan, voted in support of President Goodluck Jonathan to run for the 2011 election at a meeting of Northern Governors’ Forum in Kaduna, all federal lawmakers of Benue State extraction yesterday toed the same line.
They were led by the Senate President, Senator David Mark, at a press briefing where they said the President should bank on their unflinching support whenever he is ready to declare his intention.
Though the Senate President was not in attendance at the briefing, Senator Joseph Akaagerger stood in for him and revealed that his absence was due to his tight schedule as the number three citizen.
The Benue lawmakers, who came from both arms of the National Assembly, said their position was in tandem with that which was taken by Suswam.
Justifying the position for their call, the group said: “We wish to state unequivocally that consequent upon consultation with the Benue State National Assembly Legislators Caucus, the Governor of Benue State, Honourable Gabriel Suswam, was mandated to hold consultation with all principal stake holders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Benue people generally”
They warned that with the track records so far achieved by Jonathan in few months, all contrary positions from the state should be considered misplaced.
“Any statement to the contrary by any individuals or group who certainly do not carry the peoples mandate, should be discountenanced as the opinion of the insignificant minority”
Despite Mark’s absence, the leader of the caucus claimed that they had received his nod before making the move.
Among those who signed the paper are Akaagerger, Solomon Agidani, Terngu Tsegba, David Idoko, Augustine Adikpe, Mzenda Iho, Emmanuel Jime, Orker Jev E. Y, Herman Iorwase Hembe, Chille Igbawua and Christy Alaaga.
