Gemade Blames Brother-In-Law For His Political Woes

THE Senator representing Benue North–East Senatorial District and erstwhile national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Barnabas Gemade, has lambasted those asking Governor Gabriel Suswam to take over his senate seat in 2015, saying he is not in a hurry to let the seat go.

Gemader also blamed his brother-in-law, Mr. Atoza Hindan, as the brain behind those pressuring Suswam to take over the senatorial seat from him.

Gemade bared his mind to journalists at his Makurdi residence yesterday against the backdrop of recent endorsement of the state governor by a purported group of elders in his district of Katsina–Ala for the senate seat come 2015.

The former PDP chairman, however, described the endorsement of the governor as a conspiracy against the people of the zone. He explained that contesting election is a personal decision that should not be interfered with by external pressures.

Gemade, who believed elders in the zone are reasonable people with integrity  who would not  dabble into politics of pressuring uninterested individuals to contest elections, revealed that investigations have proved that  elders from  the area were not involved in the purported endorsement.

Blaming Hindan for the endorsement, Gemade described the brother -in-law as someone with inordinate desires. He said Hindan over the years has done things that defied culture of the Tiv people.

The lawmaker said he had supported Suswam sometime ago to win the House of Representatives election as a young man against the will of his in law, who has become greatest benefactor in the state.

“I want to warn Atoza Hindan to stop using my name to get benefits from the state. His action against me is enough because he is trying to risk my life. As a politician, I will not take it.