Federal Character and Benue State Politics (1)
TIV people need to realize they have no connections or power on the Federal level.
The TIV are the 4th or 5th largest tribe in Nigeria, but have not been able to translate those numbers into political power. The TIV people's votes are only courted during elections and thereafter their aspirations are subsumed into the Old Northern Nigeria power structure were it has second class status as a Christian minority in that grouping.
The late JS Tarka tried to break away from that system and was hugely successful and parlayed that into a run for the presidency and senate presidency which he lost out on despite the power of numbers behind him.
TIV people need to understand that the need more than one person in positions across the federal government to secure employment for their tribe, so (the attached post and commenters) the should not not blame Ayu, (remember he did not last long as the senate president) or Gemade (is there anyone else) because they were in power during the reign of Obasanjo who would faster hire a Yoruba man or Hausa man b4 a TIV man. Audu Ogbe on the other hand is a less contentious person on the federal level and will have more doors opened to him to secure advantages for the Idomas than Gemade would for the TIV. You have to believe Ogbe would be senator if there were more senate seats for his zone.
I truly believe that because Nigeria was not ready for an ibo man it was the Tiv mans turn to rule, but the middle belt has been whipped into submission by the old caliphate through neglect and victimization and has not seen a revival in TIV nationalization since Tarka and did not strongly advocate nor did TIV people have a strong man the should have been forced to support for a run. Even if a stand had been made for Benue State to produce the APC presidential candidate it is most likely that Mark would have been the candidate but he did not seek the office for many reasons that I do not need to elaborate about here.
In addressing lopsided recruitment into the armed services and based on casual observations, It appears that the TIV were massively recruited into the enlisted arm of the army during the civil war while the Idomas got massively recruited into the officer corp because I can count many idoma generals or army commanders (ochefu, 2 obeya's, anaja, onoja, ejiga, Ifere, etc) than I can count TIV after Akaahan and Kpera and before Malu who crossed OBJ and brought horrendous consequences for the tribe at zaki Biam and probably in other related Federal areas. Even presently one of the current service chiefs is Idoma and he would have been compelled (hypothetical) to ensure his people got on the list, the TIV currently boast no such power broker in the army or immigration ala Moro.
The TIV should not compare themselves to the Idoma on their ability to secure patronage at the federal level. TIV need to understand that as they have chased idoma out of the state civil service, Idomas have focused on the Federal government for employment and quite successfully by most accounts. It is obvious that the TIV people own and are fully in control in Benue State, while the Idomas have infiltrated the army officer corp and have produced major power brokers including five time senator and former senate president retired Brigadier David Mark.
Please understand that David Mark secured the senate presidency for Benue because of his strong personality and strong connections to IBB and company. and not because it was Benue's turn. It should come as no surprise that Saraki defeated Akume and the other guy for the number 3 as the were no match in terms of connections on the federal level.
Nobody not even the late Yar Adua or GEJ had the power to checkmate or impeach Mark and the Idomas voted him for a record fifth time solidifying his power at the federal level while Gemade lost the PDP chairmanship and Ayu went into the opposition and collision course with the unforgiving OBJ.
The respected Ortom whose ministerial nomination cleared the senate with applause did not stay in power long enough before resigning to win the Benue governorship seat. He was extremely lucky as Unongo fared worse after resigning to face Aper Aku, basically he did not consolidate power on the federal level and Benue is back to square one in that respect.
So David Mark has had a solid run at the top to advance the interests of his idoma people not by infrastructural development in corruption Nigeria, but through the appointment of protege's like Moro his ministerial nominee.
It does not take a much to imagine as alleged that Moro mass hired idoma people over TIV people into his ministry after infiltrating the recruiting arms with Marks steady prominence at the top.
It is in the interest of a more prosperous Benue that the TIV and idoma put aside their rivalry and be fair to one another in sharing power at the state level and leverage the connections the have on the Federal level to bring resources and recruitments that should be equally shared by all Benue people.
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