Nigerian Concord Newspaper
To whom much is given much is expected but reverse is the case with a Benue Northwest senatorial aspirant of the All Progressive Congress, Mr. Emmanuel Jime as he has offered practically nothing despite that he had been given much as a public functionary.
This newspaper can authoritatively report that apart from failing woefully as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, as a speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, as a federal lawmaker representing Makurdi/Guma federal constituency, Barrister Jime has also failed as a party man.
Findings showed that Barrister Jime has never participated in any of the activities of the Benue State chapter of All Progressive Congress perhaps it’s as a result of his plan to contest under African Democratic Congress where he secretly registered as a member two weeks ago despite that he is a card carrying member of APC.
While the governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia was facing leadership struggle, Barrister Jime was never around to solidarize with him perhaps he believed that the governor would not succeed in securing the leadership of the party in the state.
Analysts believe that it would be impossible for Jime to get the support of the party’s members and leaders in Benue Northwest as a result of his many avoidable absence in all party activities.
A leader of the party who preferred not to be mentioned told this newspaper that: “Here is a man who never identified with Governor Hyacinth Alia while he was battling for the party structure. During that time, it’s either Jime was with Akume to pledge loyalty or with Amaechi and Herman Hembe to lobby for an automatic ticket of the African Democratic Congress.
“Here is a man that is always around during elections and the moment elections are over, he will disappear and will never pick calls from anyone. He is only in Benue once in four years to run for elections and that is why it was impossible for him to win the 2019 governorship election despite the federal might on his side. He is not popular because he isn’t known too well in the state. How can APC think of fielding such an unpopular person as its senatorial candidate.
“Why is he here now that the governor has secured the structure of the party. Does he think that anyone will trust him with the party’s senatorial ticket”
This newspaper gathered that Barrister Jime who has always lived like a foreigner in Benue state didn’t participate or support the party in last E-Registration exercise of the party as well as the last voters cards registration. It was also gathered that he didn’t participate during the last Ward and local government congresses because he believed that Father Hyacinth Alia would not get the party structure.
Also, it was confirmed that he has never participated in all the expanded stakeholders meetings of the party as well as the last Pre-decamping dinner organized for members of other political parties that wanted to join the All Progressive Congress.
Another stakeholder of the party from Benue Northwest said that Jime’s efforts to take the party’s senatorial ticket will meet a strong brick wall, saying that he should explain to the party why he has failed to participate in all its activities.
He said: “Jime left the party long ago, he didn’t do anything for the party, he didn’t do consultation, he didn’t support the party financially, and now that primary elections are near, he has started making plans to see various groups as a way to lobby for the party’s ticket.
“Why does he think that he is smart. After abandoning the party for a long time, he is now showing his face. This is a man that has not formed any serious group to canvass for Father Alia and President Bola Tinubu as they plan for their reelection bid. When the same Alia that Jime is running to today was having instability issues, he didn’t stand by him because he thought it was all over for the governor”
Also, this newspaper gathered that Barrister Jime as a result of his arrogance, doesn’t agree that anyone is his leader. “He doesn’t agree that Senator George Akume is his leader. He doesn’t agree that Father Hyacinth Alia is his leader. He doesn’t agree that Chief Samuel Ortom is his leader. Tell Jime to name his leader. This same Jime has problems with every Jemgbah person. He should tell us why he can be trusted with our support” Comrade John Terkura, the President of Jemgbah Development Forum told our reporter over the phone this morning.
Another block in the way of Barrister Jime according to findings is that he wants to retain the Speakership of the State House of Assembly for his brother from the same Council Ward just at the same time he wants to be senator.
Also, the fact that Governor Hyacinth Alia has been insisting on Zoning in order to achieve a fair sharing of elective posts across the state is a big blow to Barrister Jime’s senatorial ambition as leaders of the party are asking him to explain how it’s the turn of Makurdi to produce senator for Benue Northwest in 2027 if the zoning arrangement must be followed.
“If this zoning is by local government, then Jime should explain how it will favour Makurdi which had produced senators in the past. He must tell us why he lied that there was no money at Shippers Council for him to help Benue people and now Akutah who got there less than two years ago has been painting town red with the same Shippers Council funds” Comrade John Terkura added..