A recent claim by former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Benson Abounu, that Enone has held the Benue South senatorial seat for about 25 years has been disputed by available records. The claim is part of the ongoing debate over whether the Benue South Senate seat should remain with Enone or rotate to other parts of the district ahead of the 2027 election. According to historical records, the tenure of senators from the area is more complicated than suggested.
Senator Ameh Ebute represented Benue South in the Third Republic, serving from December 5, 1992, to November 17, 1993, a period of less than one year. Senator Godwin Idoko Okpe, from Okpokwu, also represented the district during the Second Republic, but his tenure was interrupted by the 1983 military coup. These historical accounts show that Enone has not held the seat continuously or cumulatively for 25 years.
The most substantial uninterrupted tenure in the Benue South Senate seat was that of David Mark, who represented the district from 1999 to 2019 — exactly 20 years. This has been reported by several reputable sources, including Punch, Vanguard, and ThisDay. While Mark's tenure was significant, it falls short of the 25 years claimed by Abounu and other proponents of the current zoning argument.
The current zoning debate acknowledges that different parts of Benue South have produced senators at different times. A recent communiqué attributed to the Benue South Strategic Group, with Abounu among the stakeholders, argued that Apa/Agatu and Oju/Obi should now be considered for the Senate seat, saying other constituencies had historically dominated the position. This position is different from simply stating that Enone has occupied the seat for 25 years.
Abba Moro, who succeeded David Mark in 2019, is from Ugbokolo in Okpokwu, one of the local government areas identified with Enone. Moro won the seat in 2019 and retained it in 2023. Therefore, if the argument is that Enone has accumulated 25 years of senatorial representation, the proponents need to show the precise years being counted and which senators are being classified as Enone representatives.
The claim that Enone has held the Benue South Senate seat for 25 years is misleading unless its proponents provide a clearly defined historical zoning formula and the individual tenures being counted. What is firmly established is that David Mark alone represented Benue South for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019. The zoning debate should be based on accurate historical records rather than misleading claims.
The dispute over the Benue South Senate seat zoning highlights the need for accurate historical records in Nigeria's political debates. As the 2027 election approaches, stakeholders must rely on verifiable facts to make informed decisions. The Benue South Strategic Group's communiqué is a step in the right direction, but more work is needed to ensure that the debate is based on facts rather than misconceptions.
Key points
- The claim that Enone has held the Benue South Senate seat for 25 years is misleading.
- David Mark represented Benue South for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019.
- The zoning debate should be based on accurate historical records rather than misleading claims.
