Johnson Babajide, Makurdi
A Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, Moses Ayom has called on the President-elect, Bola Tinubu to support the emergence of someone from the Middle-Belt to succeed him as Nigeria’s President at the end of his eight years tenure in 2031.
Ayom who is one of the presidential aspirants in the last primaries of APC made the call on Sunday in Makurdi while constituting the Independent Campaign Council (ICC) in support of the Catholic Priest, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia for Governor of Benue State in the forthcoming Saturday’s governorship election.
While congratulating the president elect on his victory at the February 25 presidential poll, Ayom said that 2031 will be ‘Emi Lokan’ (it is my turn) of the Middle-Belt.
He explained that his desire to ensure that Rev Fr Alia wins the this Saturday governorship election prompted the floating of the ICC ahead of the gubernatorial mega campaign rallies in the three senatorial districts which commences in Otukpo, Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Monday.
Ayom said, “Am congratulating Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima and our state that because of his (Tinubu’s) pedigree, antecedents, outstanding qualities, we’ve been able to bring Benue out of opposition.
“This was also made possible by the leadership provided by the APC leader in Benue State, Senator George Akume and the candidature of Rev Fr Alia, as one of the most popular politicians and we thank him (Tinubu) for that.”
Ayom, a forerunner for Middle-Belt agitation added, “But most importantly, we are reminding him (Tinubu) that Middle-Belt has a pact through the relationship that J S Tarka had with Awo (Chief Obafemi Awolowo), which has translated to what we have today.
“Again, J S Tarka had this relationship with the people of Borno; with the uncle of Kashim Shittima who was elected to serve under Benue State, through J S Tarka
“So, we are saying: this is the final lap because we have once again given them (Tinubu and Shettima) the support by voting for them massively in the Middle-Belt. And I’m appealing to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider the Middle-Belt, who has never tasted the Presidency since the beginning of democracy.
“We are pleading with him to be fair to us; to consider Middle-Belt which has been so marginalised by the time he is concluding his 8 years tenure in 2031. We know Tinubu as a democrat, as someone who is Independent minded and we believe that after his tenure, he will do justice, fairness and equity, which is what he has been preaching over the years.
“And he will practice what he preaches by handing over the mantle of leadership to the Middle-Belt by the time he leaves office in 2031. So 2031 is the turn of Middle-Belt; it is our ’emi lokan’, he stated.
Speaking on the formation of ICC, he said, “I have formed the Independent Campaign Council for Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia for Governor and it is supposed to be for grassroots mobilization. For instance if I go to Mbatiav, I’ll tell them the benefits of voting Rev Fr Alia.
“We intend to move very fast so as to cover a lot of grounds within the next few days. Infact, we have already covered a lot of grounds. We actually are already working, but today (Sunday) is just the formal launching of the outfit.
The former presidential aspirant commended the people, especially those from the Benue North-East for playing a major role in what he described as “APC’s political earth quake which consumed other parties and appealed for the same spirit to be exhibited in the Governorship and State Assembly polls to vote in Rev Fr Alia to usher in the desired Benue where people’s interest will occupy the centre stage.”
