PRESS RELEASE: 2015 GUBER RACE : CHIESHE STEPS ASIDE; GIVES REASON Dear Beloved Supporters and Benue Citizens. 1. “The Times and circumstances call for breaking the silence. After deep reflection and consultation, coming on the heels of recent developments, I am sorely pained and regret to inform you of my considered decision to step aside from the 2015 Guber race. This is both in obeisance, and in submission to the combined decision and directive of HRM Orchiviligh Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula, the Tor Tiv IV (who heads the Tiv Traditional Institution) and The Governor, Rt. Hon. Dr. G. T. Suswam CON ( who wields the Political leadership over the State) - requiring me and all aspirants outside of the MINDA axis to exit the race, har ikyav inya and comply forthwith”. 2. Out of the blues, by political sleight of hand, it has been brought to our attention that, the 2015 Governorship seat has been zoned exclusively to the MINDA Axis, and that, on the mandate and firm instruction of HRM, the Tor Tiv, all Aspirants from all the other intermediate areas within the Tiv nation stand excluded from even contesting! 3. This pronouncement alone is very devastating as it limits and excludes such candidates before the electorate. This is unquestionably a harmful and lethal premeditated blow from the Palace on the aspirations of any candidate or political axis. 4. With this deft move, the wind was taken out of my sails in this 2015 race by the combined and united decision of both the Tor Tiv and the sitting Governor. And in humble obeisance and submission, I regret to announce my decision to step aside from this Guber Race as required of me. I do so knowing very well the deep-seated disgust, anger and disappointment that may overwhelm you over this devastating blow. Yet, it is incumbent upon me to let you know. 5. It would appear to us from the foregoing that, just a few days before the selective screening of MINDA Aspirants by the Tor Tiv, the Tiv Traditional Palace and GHM may have between themselves (to the exclusion of the larger Tiv nation) zoned the 2015 Governorship seat to the MINDA axis! This decision was hitherto unknown to us and the larger Tiv nation! 6. Following from (1) above, clear instructions were given by The Tor Tiv (through Uter), to all other aspirants outside the MINDA axis, requesting them to drop out of the race. Sequel to this, were thus summoned and directed by “Uter asev” accordingly. 7. Setting A New Precedent: A Barring Order This again represents a totally new dimension, new development and another established Precedent of total exclusion of “Mba Ate mba gen” or ruling houses, from the political process by the Palace. In the past history, the established precedent was: “ihyev imyom icha ihyar ga”. With this recent pronouncement, a new precedent of total exclusion, a kind-of barring order against other ruling houses has been thus established. 8. According to the clear directives from the Paramount Ruler (which instructions were) communicated to us through our Royal Fathers, The Uter, We ( all Zone A aspirants) were summoned and ordered to step back from the guber race accordingly by our Royal fathers, the “Uter”. The Royal Fathers present at this meeting included: Ter Ikyor, Ter Kunav (of blessed memory), Ter Ushongo, and Ter Kwande. All were in attendance! This order was a Bombshell and death knell. 9. Routing those instructions through our “Uter” constituted double jeopardy for me in view of the ‘forced’ acquiescence of our respective ‘Uter’ over the matter. The Royal Father (Uter) were to acquiesce while we their sons and aspirants, were required to submit and surrender without question. 10 Could this be a subtle administrative arm-twisting of aspirants and their constituencies from the Palace? 11. The instructions from the Palace of the Tor Tiv to us were clear and non- negotiable. The directive came as a “mandate” and order to be complied with strictly. And Complying, I have. 12. But with due respect to the esteemed office and person of HRM, It is our considered opinions that such style and mode of instructions is in our view tyrannical, autocratic, patently illegal and disdainful of our persons, visions, personal rights and Liberties under the Laws of Nigeria. 13. They were dishonoring to our various constituencies and legitimate interests within the commonwealth of the Tiv nation. Above all, the style and manner was downright tyrannical and without due consideration to the legitimacy of JERCHIRA s demand duly taken before the Palace and GHM for resolution. 14. These developments constituted a set-up, and a death knell to my candidature as they left me with little room outside the tough options of: 1) Outright defiance of our political and traditional leaderships or 2) compliance, surrender, submission or ignoble abdication or forced abandonment of a just and worthy cause- in deference to arbitrariness, executive fiat, political sleight of hand, and inequity from the powers that be. 15. My deep silence was to allow me ruminate and reach the best honorable decision and pathway of response. I have a gut-level revulsion against injustices in all forms, from all heights; yet patent disobedience even to unfairness and biased and misdirected leadership isnt on my cards. How do I obey an unfair, unjust, and patently illegal pronouncement from the King? Particularly, knowing I have a just cause and a legitimate platform for my candidature already canvassed by Jerchira before the Palace, GHM and the entire Tiv Nation? 16. Should I think of taking the path of the Three Hebrew Boys: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed- Nego? Which way should I go? Therein lies the quandary. 17. I realize that Mahatma Gandhis non- violent civil disobedience had proven a powerful weapon in confronting institutionalized injustices and I stoked this fire and toyed with the idea very circumspectly. But I finally laid it to rest, discarding it as an option or reaction. 18. Again my spirit considered the Nelson Mandela’s pathway against the injustices of Apartheid when he took on his fight against the unjust system that consigned the Blacks to the nothingness in their own land. 19. What about the late American Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and his non-violent civil disobedience to institutionalized injustices – which in my case, have shut me out of the race without a word of honour, or an explanation or resolution of the Jerchira legitimate demand duly placed before the attention of HRM and GHM? 20. What should I do in view of the overwhelming odds stacked against me; shutting me out of the race in an election I am so prepared to dominate on vision and development strategy? These presented a heavy moral obligation on me hence the deep silence.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 16:33:05 +0000
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