INTERVIEW: David Mark has reached political menopause – Senatorial aspirant, Madaki Ameh

Chief Madaki Omadachi Ameh is an ordinary Idoma son, from Aukpa-Adoka in Otukpo LGA of Benue State, who is really passionate about providing purposeful and selfless leadership in Idoma Land, Benue State and Nigeria at large, in order to make life easy for his people.
In a chat with DailyPost, the Benue South Senatorial aspirant in the 2015 general elections under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress, APC, affirmed that after sixteen years of spearheading the political ‘shrine’ of the Idoma community, it was high time Senate President, David Mark moved way for other politicians to save the sinking Idoma nation.

He also spoke on his manifestoes, plans for the creation of Apa State, his relationship with other Idoma politicians and other sundry issues.

Q: Idoma community has been longing for Apa State for years now, how realistic is that and what can you do to make the dream come true if elected?
Well, the issue of Apa State creation has been topical in Idoma land for many years, and I believe that if our past leaders had been sincere and dedicated to it, they would have had it created in the military era when states were created by fiat, and did not require the complex processes laid down in the 1999 Constitution.  It is instructive that the agitation for State creation across the country has died down now, apparently due to a realization by the respective ethnic nationalities that the process is no mean task.  But I think we must sustain the aspiration for Apa State within the context of the federating units in Nigeria, and someday, that agitation will become a reality, and I will contribute whatever quota is required of me through the deliberations at the National Assembly to make it happen. Our preoccupation as a people however should be how we can unleash monumental development in our area, since state creation alone, without the right
leadership and followership, will not take us to the Promised Land.

Q: Recently, elder statesman and a former Minister of Education (state) Jerry Agada asserted that the Idoma community can never produce a better leader like David Mark, what is your take on that?

If he actually said that, then it is his personal opinion, which he is entitled to, based on the extent of his worldview.  We all know that the Idoma Nation has not witnessed quality leadership under Senator David Mark, both in his days in the military, and now for the past 16 years under the current democratic dispensation.  That is why removing him from there in 2015 must be a preoccupation of all well-meaning Idoma sons and daughters, and everyone in Benu Zone C.

Q: For over 16 years now, nobody has been able to dislodge the current occupant of the seat, Mark is occupying. How possible is your mission?

I think my task will be relatively easy, because it is clear that our people have drank to the dregs, the bitter potion of poor and ineffective leadership under Senator Mark, and everywhere you turn in Idoma Land, everyone is yearning for change.  That cry has gone up to the heavens, and God Himself will see to the exit of Senator Mark from Zone C politics in 2015 and beyond, having attained political menopause. He must now take a bow…..

Q: 38 years after the creation of Benue state, yet no Idoma has tasted the seat of the governor despite their long time agitation for the position. Do you think this dream will be achievable in 2015?

I have my serious doubts, because currently, I don’t see any of the aspirants of Idoma extraction vying for the position under the PDP wielding sufficient influence on the nomination process to emerge the candidate of the party, and currently, I am not aware that any Idoma son is vying for the position of Governor in APC, which, by the way will produce the next Governor of Benue State, and will do so in 2015.

Before making up your mind to join the race, what were you doing?
I have been a Lawyer for the past 26 years, during which period I worked in the very best of Nigerian International Law and Consulting firms, the multinational oil and gas company, Shell Petroleum, and now I work for BBH Consulting, an Oil and Gas Consulting firm, where I am Managing Partner. I also work as Senior Partner in BBH Legal Practitioners, a Law Firm based in Abuja.

Q. Many people are of the opinion that Mark is being backed by the Och’Idoma and that is why nobody can defeat him, how would you go about your campaign?

I don’t think so.  In all my consultations with the Och’Idoma before now, that position has not featured at all.  Rather, the overall opinion of the traditional institution in Idoma land is that Senator Mark has no regards for the traditional institutions in Idoma Land, and has done nothing to advance the cause of our traditional rulers or their welfare in all the years he has been holding prominent positions, both in the Military days, and under the current political dispensation.

Q: What do you think is the challenge(s) of the Idoma community?
I think we suffer from  lack of the most basic of infrastructure, unemployment of our highly intelligent, well trained and highly motivated youths, poor or non-existent educational facilities, lack of outlets for quality healthcare, and zero support for agriculture and complete lack of industrialization.  These have led to severe poverty and want in our land, and there is  needs to be reversed urgently by effecting a change in our current crop of leadership, starting from Senator David Mark.

Q. What is your plan for the Idoma youth if given the opportunity to represent them at the National Assembly?
By demography, youths account for about 70% of the Nigerian population, and Benue State is no exception.  A huge chunk of my empowerment programs will be geared towards restoring the self confidence of our youths in themselves by providing avenues for their gainful employment, and unleashing their huge talents on the National landscape. The full details of how this will be done are contained in my Manifesto and Plan of Action.

Q. Little was known about you before you ventured into politics, don’t you think that would affect your ambition?

I don’t think I was that little known in the events of Benue State before venturing into partisan politics.  I have always been interested in political activities, and it may interest you  to know that in 1988, I was elected the first ever Idoma President of the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS), while I was in the final year in ABU, Zaria, studying for my Law degree.  Since then, I have always taken interest in public affairs and featured in a number of national discourses on issues affecting the nation, both on Radio and TV, and I have always written articles on topical issues affecting the polity.  I have also been actively involved in philanthropic activities, geared towards uplifting the living standards of our people.

Q. Several Idoma sons have indicated interest in governing the state come 2015, what advice do you have for them?
I think they must harmonize their positions and put their house in order, so they can present a unified front.  I also think we should have a prominent Idoma son aspire for Governorship under the APC, and I believe the party, as a party of justice and fairplay, will be much better disposed towards giving the Governorship ticket to an Idoma person, than the PDP.

Q. Mark recently told Idoma people to forget governing Benue, how would your react to that?
That is a very unfortunate statement, and goes to confirm his disdain for the Idoma nation.  It also goes to buttress the extent of his double speak.  When it suits his whims, he advocates for an Idoma Governor.  When it does not, he speaks the direct opposite.  But regardless of what he says, the Idomas deserve to govern Benue State, much like their Tiv brothers, and will do so someday. But it takes unity of purpose, vision, drive and putting our best foot forward for this to happen.

How did the leader of APC react when you signified interest in the race?
Our Leader, Senator (Dr.) George Akume was visibly excited when I informed him in January this year that I was throwing my hat in the ring.  He assured me of his support and expressed his confidence in my capacity to deliver the Senatorial seat to the APC, even if it seemed daunting to the lily livered.

Q. What is your relationship with Young Alhaji and Lawrence Onoja?

My relationship with both of them is very cordial.

Lawrence Onoja was once quoted as saying that why Apa State was not created was because Idoma was not up to the required population as at then, do you agree with him?

Population is one of the indices for State creation, but not the only one.  I recall IBB, when he was Military President, had singled out the Idomas as an ethnic nationality deserving of a State.  I still maintain that, if our leaders in the Military era had been more united and focused on the need to have an Apa State, we would have achieved this long time ago.

Q. What can you do to make the Idoma comminuty better if elected?

I have developed a six point Manifesto and Plan of Action, centre

Is Apa State the problem of Idoma?

The Idoma nation has a lot of issues confronting it at the moment, and one of them is the creation of Apa State.  But Apa State alone, without credible and visionary leadership will not take us where we want to go.  I believe strongly that, while agitating for Apa State to be created, we should concentrate also on how we can fully participate in the determination of the affairs of Benue State, and ensure that we always put our best foot forward when selecting the right people to assume leadership positions at various levels of governance, so we can move from where we are now, to where we all desire to be.

Q. Sir, what area would you focus on if elected, creation of Apa State or producing an Idoma governor?

As I stated before, my focus will be on overall development of the Idoma nation, within the context of our current existence.  I will focus on my campaign Manifesto and Plan of Action, and deliver on every aspect of it, in the truest spirit of Okaleya.
What informed your campaign name, OKALEYA, knowing fully well that only God is Okaleya.

Okaleya is short form for Oka K’Oleya, which means, whatever you say you will do, just do it! Enough of empty, unfulfilled promises that have been the bane of our politics and public life all this while from those who have assumed leadership positions in our area in the past.  My commitment to the Idoma nation is that, whatever I cannot accomplish, I will never promise, but whatever I promise, I will deliver on it, no matter what it takes, and how inconvenient it may be.  I want all politicians to be Okaleya, so that we can all start seeing consistent delivery across the land, and our people will be a lot better off for it.