As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, the clouds of political tension are already gathering in Benue State, particularly within the Enone Federal Constituency, where fairness, rotation, and political harmony now hang in the balance. The Action People’s Party (APP), through its Benue State Chairman, Dr. Samuel Salifu, has issued a stern warning against what it describes as a dangerous attempt to subvert the long-standing rotational agreement among Ado, Ogbadibo, and Okpokwu Local Government Areas.
The APP’s position is clear: justice must not be sacrificed on the altar of ambition. Dr. Salifu’s statement, released in Makurdi, cautions political actors, especially those loyal to the current House of Representatives member, Hon. Philip Agbese, to tread with caution and respect the rotational understanding that has preserved peace and inclusiveness in Enone politics for years. “Equity must prevail, rotation must continue, and Enone must remain united,” he declared.
At the heart of this controversy lies a simple but potent question of fairness. Hon. Agbese, who hails from Ado Local Government, currently represents the constituency after succeeding Hon. Agbo Ottah, also from Ado, who served from 2019 to 2023. The unwritten but widely respected arrangement gives each of the three LGAs—Ado, Ogbadibo, and Okpokwu—an eight-year turn to occupy the House of Representatives seat in rotation. Under this framework, Ado is expected to complete its turn by 2027, after which the seat should naturally move to Okpokwu.
However, emerging signs that Hon. Agbese and his supporters plan to retain the position beyond 2027 have sparked anxiety across the constituency. Their argument—that Okpokwu should forfeit its claim because it already holds the Senate seat through Distinguished Senator Abba Moro—has been described as misleading and divisive. Dr. Salifu firmly countered this narrative, emphasizing that the Senate seat represents the entire Benue South Senatorial District, while the Enone Federal Constituency is exclusively an affair of the three local governments.
“The two positions are independent and have never been linked in any rotational arrangement,” the APP Chairman stated. “At a time, Otukpo Local Government produced both the Senator and the House of Representatives member because it was within the bounds of fairness and existing political order. Nobody questioned it then because it was right and just.”
For many political observers, this controversy is a test of leadership maturity and institutional memory. The principle of rotation, which has sustained peace in Enone for decades, is not merely a political convenience but a moral compass guiding power-sharing and equity. Ado’s attempt to extend its hold, critics argue, risks breaking that fragile trust and opening old wounds of marginalization.
Dr. Salifu’s warning is both timely and symbolic. His statement reads like a moral alarm bell, reminding leaders that politics without fairness is a ticking bomb. “The Action People’s Party will not fold its arms and watch any individual or group attempt to subvert this cherished balance,” he said. “We will not only field a credible candidate from Okpokwu but also mobilize and sensitize our people on the dangers of allowing personal ambition to override collective interest.”
The APP’s position echoes a broader national sentiment. Across Nigeria, calls for zoning, equity, and inclusion have become louder as communities grapple with the consequences of power monopolies and political manipulation. In many states, rotational agreements have acted as stabilizers, preventing dominance by a single bloc and promoting a sense of belonging among diverse groups.
Political maturity, according to Dr. Salifu, demands that leaders honor established agreements. “Respecting zoning is not a sign of weakness; it is a mark of wisdom and stability,” he said. “Anything short of this will create unnecessary tension, disunity, and mistrust among Ado, Ogbadibo, and Okpokwu.”
In truth, Enone stands at a crossroads. If history teaches anything, it is that power gained through manipulation rarely lasts, and peace lost through greed is hard to recover. The warning from the APP is therefore more than a political statement—it is a prescription for survival.
As the 2027 elections approach, the people of Enone must guard their unity jealously. The moral lesson is clear: ambition should never outweigh agreement, and justice should never be traded for convenience. In the words of the late Nelson Mandela, “Where there is no vision, the people perish; where there is no fairness, the nation bleeds.”
If the zoning arrangement collapses in Enone, it will not just be a political misstep—it will be the betrayal of a covenant that has kept the constituency stable for decades. 2027 should not become the year fairness dies; it should be the year Enone renews its promise to justice.
Because when rotation ends, domination begins—and domination, in the long run, destroys the very democracy that gives it life.
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