The senator representing Benue North East Senatorial District, Chief Barnabas Gemade has said that the decision by the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Elders in the state to endorse Governor Gabriel Suswam and to unseat him was totally mischievous.
The senator stated this yesterday, in his Makurdi residence, in an interview with newsmen, while reacting to the plot by the Zone A, PDP Elders to remove him and install Suswam as the next senator of the district in 2015.
Gemade, who was yet to decide on his political intention, said it was a conspiracy by the party elders which he said was masterminded by his inlaw, Chief Atoza Ihindan, who he said was married to his elder sister, but added that he (Gemade) was not deterred by the move.
“Standing elections is a personal decision of individual, history has it clearly that recruiting people to stand for election is always a failure. It is therefore laughable for someone to stand up to drag somebody to contest election which he has not spoken about. I consider this development as a total mischief and conspiracy by the man who pronounced that statement.
The issue of 2015 is not to be spoken about irresponsibly because it has something to do with the party’s agenda,” Gemade said.
He however, disclosed that the problem that led Elder Atoza, his inlaw to gang up against him and to urge for the removal of his mandate in the national assembly begun in 1999 when he (Gemade) supported the candidature of Suswam to the House of Representatives, the position he said Atoza also vied for.
The former PDP National Chairman added that “as far back as 1999, because as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, and you will recall that I brought the party to Benue State. Being a man of excellence and someone who believes in people who are aspiring in life, I decided that a chance should be given to younger people.
Suswam was introduced to me as candidate for the House of Representatives in Sankera which I supported. Atoza also vied for that position and that has been the problem but I believe that is not enough reason to take devilish actions against me and my family.”