Dear Aondona,
1. I wish to appreciate you for the concern you raised about the one year score card of Senator Gabriel Torwua Suswam and his efforts towards restoring peace in Sankera axis of Benue State.
2. Let me quickly inform you that Senator Suswam has made several appeals to the bellicose gangs to sheath their swords and allow the armless citizens to live in peace.
3. Every conflict has its cause(s). The restlessness in Sankera has become protracted. It is therefore, imperative to interrogate the motive behind the militia killings in Sankera.
(a) What do the gangs want? In the Niger Delta region, the hiltherto bellicose gangs clearly articulated their demands; and the FGN implemented the Disarmament, Demobilization and Re-integration (DDR) Program.
(b) In the case of Sankera, is there any agenda behind the tumult, killings and kidnappings which have obviously destroyed the socio-economic cum educational activities in the area?
(c). Do the perpetrators know that if the kidnappings and killings continue unabated, Sankera will be left behind other parts of Tiv land? That Sankera would have lost brilliant generations of school children? That poverty in Sankera will rather worsen? Do they know that continuous crises will erase Sankera people from Benue state civil service, academic career and retard their advancement in the private sector? Are they bothered that with the closure of schools in Sankera, her people will gradually be the most backward in years to come?
4. These are some of the questions that bother Senator Gabriel Suswam and other elites from Sankera.
5. In looking for solutions, the Patriarchal houses that make up Sankera zone viz: Shitile, Ukum, Ugondo, Tongov and Ikurav – Tiev have separately and collectively appealed to the gangs and also organized prayer sessions for the return of peace without the desired results.
6. Eminent Sankera stakeholders like His Excellency, Ambassador, Senator, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Senator Prof. Daniel Saror, Prof. Mvendaga Jibo, Ambassador Barr. Chive Kaave, Rt. Hon. Mzenda Iho, Prof. Richard Kimbir (VC, Uni Agric), leading professors and retired Military Generals from Sankera have met countless times and sued for peace but the appeals fell on deaf ears.
7. The question remains what do the gangs want? Why are the youths from Kwande, Jechira, Jemgbagh and Minda unlike their counterparts from Sankera (the few) not interested in expeditions of SELF-DESTRUCTION?
8. Senator Gabriel Suswam is a worthy son of Sankera, Tiv and more importantly a nationalist. He has contributed enormously towards the human and infrastructural development of Sankera and indeed Benue state. It will therefore, be unacceptable and improper to blame him for the woes caused by the lack of vision of the TROGLODYTES !
9. May it be known that Hundred of Thousands of well meaning people of Sankera are unwaveringly supporting Senator Gabriel Suswam because of his pedigree and superlative performance. We must not forget that between 1999 to 2007, there were crises in Kwande and Tarka LGAs. But today, there is peace in the said LGAs. We are optimistic that PEACE WILL SOON BE RESTORED IN SANKERA. Sankera people will live peacefully and in prosperity and God will take the glory.
ON SEN. GABRIEL SUSWAM’S ONE YEAR SCORE CARD
10. Aondona, Legislators have three main duties to perform namely to: Make laws, Represent their constituents and oversight Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA).
11. We will soon commission our projects and have them televised. Remember 2020 budget was implemented just last month. So legislator’s projects are still being executed.
12. Let me put it to you that in terms of law making, Senator Gabriel Suswam in his first year has sponsored 5 bills. The Senator with the highest number of bills is Sen. Omo Agege with 7 bills. Senator Suswam has the second highest number of bills.
13. In terms of representation, Sen. Suswam’s projects are over 30 just in the first year. I will soon release the pictures after they are commissioned and televised.
14. Senator Suswam has brilliantly performed oversight duties by visiting many power plants and facilities, and, in the process, he called on the attention of relevant authorities to areas of concern with respect to the facilities visited.
15. Finally, if you fairly judge Senator Gabriel Suswam, he will score 85% which is excellent.
Thank you and remain blessed.
Moses Ukeyima, Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Suswam.