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…Urges Obi to apologize for being unfair to Alia
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Benue State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Amb. Terhemen Tarzoor, has urged the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, to apologize to Governor Hyacinth Alia over the controversy surrounding his reported inability to visit Yelewata in Benue State.
Tarzoor also dismissed alleged involvement of President Bola Tinubu in the Benue incident saying the President is busy delivering dividends to Nigerians and should not be dragged into such issues.
The former Ambassador of Nigeria to Namibia, who was responding to allegations that Obi was prevented from accessing the state, said the former Anambra State governor had several channels through which he could have reached Governor Alia rather than allowing the situation to degenerate into a political controversy.
He said it was inappropriate to suggest that Obi could not reach Governor Alia, stressing that the governor was available in Benue and could be contacted through several channels.
“It is like people who are engaging in a walk in the park to say that Peter Obi can’t reach Governor Hyacinth Alia who is in Nigeria. It is not good to the ears. I feel that there are several channels of him getting to the governor rather than displaying this show of unstatesmanliness. It doesn’t speak well of his person.
“The Governor is not in the moon. He is here in Benue State, and he can even get to the governor through the religious apparatus; being a Knight and a very senior Knight for that matter. He knows the proper channel, but when you allow these sentiments of people dropping into your ears: forget about him; you don’t need him, then your reasoning can be swayed. And you say I don’t need him.”
He also cautioned political actors against rhetoric capable of heightening tension, saying, “If you are playing the music of violence, then you expect people who are violent to dance to that music.”
Tarzoor said that if he had the opportunity, he would advise Obi to apologize to Governor Alia and make efforts to improve communication with the state government.
“He should be fair to the governor of Benue State and do the needful. He went to Plateau State, and of course there was communication. So what’s stopping him from communicating to the governor of Benue State?” he asked.
He recalled that Obi had also visited Benue South Senatorial District, popularly known as Zone C, weeks earlier, but did not meet with the governor.
“In the governor’s shoes, will you be happy that a VVIP, Very Very Important Personality, of such status sneaks into your state and sneaks out? And then political actors will get misinformed about it that this man comes to incite the system. How would you feel as a sitting governor?” he said.
The Renewed Hope Initiative coordinator said Obi, having previously served as a governor, should understand the demands of leadership and demonstrate political maturity as someone seeking to govern Nigeria.
He argued that one of the marks of political maturity was the ability to bring opponents into one’s fold and get them to contribute to governance, citing President Bola Tinubu’s administration as an example, saying several people who previously opposed the President were now working with him.
“I can tell you that for him to recruit them, for him to call them on board to work and give him the result he’s getting today tells you this is a maker of men.”
Tarzoor said “So I expect the presidential candidate of the NDC to tow that direction.”
On allegations that the Presidency may have been involved in the controversy surrounding Obi’s reported visit, Tarzoor dismissed the claim as unsubstantiated saying “I am happy that you are starting with the word allegations. There are no facts to it. It’s normal in politics; allegations, counter-allegations.”
He described President Tinubu as a “true democrat,” citing the recent political developments in Osun State as evidence of the President’s willingness to accept electoral outcomes.
“I challenge you to look at what happened in Osun State. He was the first to congratulate the governor of Osun State. And with all the forces that went to Osun State, he (Tinubu) insisted that let there be free, fair elections and APC lost. Thereafter, he received the governor in his office.”
He questioned why the President would allegedly seek to prevent Obi from visiting Benue while allowing political activities elsewhere.
“So why would the President choose to be cherry-picking? I want Osun State, but when it’s Benue, I don’t want Peter Obi to go to Benue. It doesn’t add up,” he said.
