Martin Iorsamber, an Environmental Specialist, Entrepreneurship consultant, Public Affairs Commentator and Analyst is noted for invaluable contributions to grassroots development through scholarship awards, health interventions and building of budding talents at the grassroots. He is contesting the Benue North East Senatorial District ( ZoneA) ticket on the platform of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) come 2027 elections. The environmental expert in an interview with The Voice Deputy Editor, James Shim said he is more prepared to change the ugly fortunes of Zone A and is availing himself for the people’s mandate. Excerpts:
Can you tell the people why you feel you should be their choice in the Benue North East Senatorial District election in 2027?
Looking at the other candidates that have presented themselves for the Senate position to represent the people of Benue North East, I feel more suitable to be elected because I am more prepared. I understand the problems of the people and I have better alternatives in solving those issues.
What would be your approach to issues of illegal mining, banditry and herders’ attacks bedeviling the area?
There are responsible government agencies that should have swung into action which have not done so. And I strongly believe that as somebody who understands much about environmental resources management, I can build a synergized approach towards these solutions. Government has a central role to play but at the same time the approach in mobilizing government security agencies and other arms of government to approach the problems goes a long way in solving the problem. By the time you discover that certain political actors have also developed vested interest into the solution or have certain interest to protect, then definitely that problem cannot be solved. Some of these people, it is either that their friends, colleagues or sponsors are also part of the problem. So at the end of the day they don’t have the energy to stand their feet that the right thing should be done. But those of us who are privileged to be coming from a neutral background and a background of service, not just because we want to acquire certain things, definitely we stand a better chance to approach these problems and solve them head-on.
What is the level of preparedness of the NDC to prosecuting campaigns at the grassroots level for a possible victory in terms of manpower and agenda?
The NDC as a political party has a structure that has moved from the national to the ward levels. Each of the electoral wards has a minimum of 26 exco members. Apart from that the party has moved a step further in establishing kindred and polling unit excos, which I believe the structure is deep rooted enough to mobilize the grassroots for the elections. There is also another structure – the ordinary Nigerians. Nigerians that have been deprived of good governance, Nigerians that are suffering from insecurity, poverty, lack of social amenities. Those people are already on ground at the grassroots and they have been yearning for positive change in Nigeria. And now that the change is being offered, through the NDC, it is an opportunity for them to grab it and put up a government that will look into their yearnings and aspirations.
Your party’s candidate for Benue State governorship, Professor Terhemba Shija is someone from the same Senatorial Zone you are aspiring to receive their mandate, how would you describe this political alliance?
Professor Terhemba Shija is someone that I admire and we have some similarities. Apart from the fact that we are from the same Senatorial district and we are in the same political party, all of us are also into academics. He is heading the Institute of Governance at the Nasarawa State University and I am heading the Environment and Safety Management Institute. So when you look at this background alone it creates an opportunity for the two of us to have a better understanding of ourselves. Besides, I am going into this election with the aim of deliberately mobilizing members of the National Assembly to work together with the governor of the State. The present situation whereby the governor is moving in a different direction and members of the National Assembly facing another direction is not healthy for our State. It is not the development that Benue people want. They expect that these two groups should be working together. If I get elected to the National Assembly, one of my priority points will be to mobilize members of the National Assembly to work in line with the vision of the Governor of Benue State. And I also believe that Professor Terhemba Shija is a team player, he is someone that over the years has built teams. He is someone that has successfully delivered as Director General of several gubernatorial candidates. So I will work hand-in-hand with him to ensure that we deliver on the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Benue State and Benue North East in particular.
Is zoning part of your hope in the Senatorial race as an indigene of Kwande Local Government?
I am not contesting for the position of Benue North East just because Iam from Kwande. But it is a known fact that ZoneA is made up of 7 local government areas and Kwande is one of them. And the first thing that qualifies one to contest an election is to be an indigene of any of the local governments that make up that constituency. I am an indigene of Kwande and the people here have never been given the opportunity to represent the Zone in Senate.So if you say my coming from Kwande is an added advantage, you are right. But I believe that the people of ZoneA are not just going to vote me because I am from Kwande. They are going to vote me because I have a better plan, vision, blue print and I am more prepared than the others who are contesting for the same election, to deliver on the yearnings and aspirations of the North East Senatorial district.
Looking at the timelines and activities held so far as set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), what is your impression about their ability, preparedness to deliver free, fair and credible elections next year?
Yes, our institutions should be given the benefit of doubt to deliver on their mandate. INEC also deserve that. Over the years INEC had also done their best even though sometimes their best is not always good enough. This election too, government has already mobilized INEC fully by giving them resources and they also have enough manpower to make sure that they deliver the desired results. I believe in a Nigeria that can work, I believe in a Nigeria with responsible institutions. So I believe that INEC is prepared to deliver free and fair elections. If it chooses not to deliver then that is not part of what I have envisaged.
Do you foresee any possible challenge by the opposition parties in terms of performance against the ruling All Progressives Congress APC in Benue State come next elections?
The government of Benue State under the leadership of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has done their best and they need to be given their flowers. But when we talk about the elections that are coming, the question people should be asking are: Is the best that this government has done good enough? Is it actually what the people wanted? Have they delivered on all those promises? Have they delivered according to the timelines? Are those aspiring to take over more capable than the present? Because government is not all about the person in power. It is about the person who has the ability to, in the prevailing circumstances, deliver on the promises, aspirations and the yearnings of the people. So that is the choice before the people of Benue. Nigerians all over are crying that this APC government has not done enough. So if this change starts some where, the people of Benue State will definitely want to look at what is happening in other parts of Nigeria and key into it.
What would be your key areas of immediate attention if the ZoneA people eventually give you the mandate?
We have developed a 5-point agenda for the people of Benue North East and this is centered on critical areas of: rural infrastructure, women and youths empowerment, agricultural development, rural economy and education and ICT development. Not one of these is even more important than the other because all the five complement each other. For example, if you want the federal government to develop an international route from Gboko -Ugbema-Jato Aka to link Cameroon, it is going to open up the area to tackle insecurity, unemployment and open up rural economy and facilitate education as well. Then, if you establish ICT hubs in each of the 7 local governments, the youths in those areas will not need to travel to other places to receive such training. And if you have someone who is trained in Cyber security and is certified by reputable organizations such as Oracle, you will discover that someone can live in Abeda village and be working for an organization in the USA and will be earning in dollars. These things are simple things that can be done for the people. So at the end of the day people will appreciate the fact that they elected somebody to represent them not on the basis that the person was favoured by zoning or the person was from the ruling party but because the person has brought the dividends of good representation to their locality.
You have been making personal contributions to communities and individuals in your area, why?
I was not doing all these things because I wanted to contest elections but this was the little I could contribute to the development of my people at that level. My call therefore is that the ZoneA people have an opportunity at their hands as they have a very big choice to make. They have to choose from stagnation and development; somebody that would bring the dividends of democracy to their door steps and the choice to remain where they are; a choice to get the ticket that will open them to good governance and that to remain in partisan politics. My advice is that, time has come for them to take their destinies into their hands by bringing on board a representation that will change the narrative of governance across Benue North East.
