Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Barring a last minute change, the 2019 governor candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Barrister Emmanuel Jime Will be defecting from the ruling party to join African Democratic Congress, ADC where he will be the party’s leader in Benue Northwest Senatorial Zone.
There have been rumours that Barrister Jime would be decamping to ADC but the former federal lawmaker denied the report, saying that he still had a chance to contest the Benue Northwest Senatorial election under the ruling party.
But Jime’s defection was confirmed by his political associates who stated that the coast is clearer for him with the confirmed exit of Senator Gabriel Suswam who has reportedly perfected his plans to join All Progressive Congress.
Recall that Jime has directed his associate especially those who are contesting for House of Representatives seats across Benue state to decamp to ADC some months ago as part of the preparation for his defection to the party.
In September, Jime directed his closest political associate, Mr. Godwin Unum to decamp to ADC where he will be contesting the 2027 Makurdi/Guma House of Representatives election.
Report also has it that he has directed all the members of Jime Youth Vanguard under the leadership of Comrade Albert Utoo to join the African Democratic Congress as well.
However, Jime has been avoiding official events of the APC in Benue state like the Pre-decamping dinner and the major stakeholders meeting of the party held in Makurdi because he doesn’t want to be linked with the state chapter of the ruling party.
He has also not been spending money on his ambition in the All Progressive Congress because of no assurance to pick the party’s ticket next year.
Recall that Jime had met a former governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi where they discussed his defection plan but the former governorship candidate put the plans on hold as a result of the negativity posed to his ambition by the influence of Gabriel Suswam who was the leader of the ADC in Benue state until the mantle of leadership was given to a former House of Representatives member, Mr. Herman Hembe.
But immediately it was confirmed that Gabriel Suswam is moving to APC, Barrister Jime revived his plan to join ADC. He was given an assurance by the duo of Hembe and Rt. Hon Mark Gbillah that he will fly the party’s flag now that the only obstacle on his way (Suswam) has reportedly moved out.
However, Jime has met with Hembe three times within the last two weeks both in Makurdi and Abuja to finalize his defection to the African Democratic Congress.
He also met with the likely Presidential candidate of the ADC, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku last week where he was promised the funds he may need for logistics to move his loyalists from APC to ADC in the coming weeks.
Asked why Jime isn’t considering his ambition in the All Progressive Congress, a close ally of the former governorship candidate said that he is leaving for ADC because he didn’t get the attention and patronage he needed from both Father Hyacinth Alia and Senator George Akume who will be deciding who flies the party’s flag in the coming elections.
Also, the ally said that Barrister Jime would have long joined ADC but he paused as a result of the Cold war between him and Senator Gabriel Suswam who was not ready to give the senatorial ticket to him.
It was also gathered that another meeting has been fixed for next week among Jime, Hembe, Gbillah and Amaechi in Abuja where he (Jime) will be presenting the list of those that are decamping with him from APC to the African Democratic Congress.
He is also going to present his budget for the decamping which will involve members of Jime Progressive Forum across the twenty three local government areas of Benue State.
A close source told this newspaper that: “That Senator Suswam was in the African Democratic Congress was why we haven’t decamped from APC since because it was obvious that the former senator already had his own candidate for the Benue Northwest Senatorial Zone election under the ADC.
“Although, Jime was being assured by Rotimi Amaechi and Herman Hembe that he would be given the ticket despite Suswam’s influence, we were careful so we didn’t rush. Barrister Jime was however holding his consultations with ADC national leaders secretly since he doesn’t also have any hope in APC because he didn’t get any attention from the governor and the SGF
” But now that Senator Gabriel Suswam has perfected his plans to leave the ADC and join APC, the coast is now clearer. And with Hembe as the leader of ADC in Benue state and being a very close friend to Jime, it’s now sure that the Benue Northwest Senatorial ticket will be given to him..
“So I can confirm it to you authoritatively that Barrister Jime and all of us are moving to ADC in the coming weeks. We have finalized this and that is why you didn’t see him (Jime) at any Benue APC event”