2027: Reps candidate warns against manipulation of voters, external influence

By Abubakar Yunus

A leading candidate in the 2027 House of Representatives race for Oju/Obi Federal Constituency of Benue State, Major General Ede Ode (Retd) has debunked insinuations that he will be on the back seat because of his first-timer status, if elected in the fast approaching 2027 general elections.

He spoke in Abuja at the second annual lecture of the Association of Igede Media Professionals (AIMP), declaring that “it’s not a matter of me going as a first timer. I am going there as a professional so I must be seen.”

The lecture which had the former Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Professor Ode Ojo as chairman was titled “Rethinking Political Recruitment System in Igedeland Ahead of 2027.”

The General also warned against any form of manipulation of the electorate by some contestants, urging the people to be wiser this time around, stand firm and refuse to be deceived again.

Specifically, General Ode who is the standard bearer of the Peopes Democratic Party (PDP) for the House of Representatives seat in the constituency, urged voters to be vigilant and reject those whose stock in trade is to weaponise lies and religion to sway their decisions.

Accordingly, the General admonished them to allow their choices to be guided by integrity, competence and capacity as well as other positive qualities that define the Igede people at the state and national levels.

He declared that the era of people dictating from outside Igedeland who represents Igede in elective political offices was gone, urging voters to ensure that their votes count at the end of the day.

Pointing out the backwardness of Igedeland in the Nigerian political space, Ode noted that something went wrong during the military era as Igede was completely absent from the scene at that time.

“When some of us went into the military, and subsequently democracy returned, there was no much attention on the military anymore,” he stated, adding that he was in the race to be a leading voice of the Igede people and to ensure the recovery of what Igede had lost in the past dispensation.

He commended members of AIMP for putting the event together, saying the quality of interaction witnessed was worth everybody’s time.

Leading the discussion on the lecture delivered by the Spokesperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Barr Benson Upah, Engr. Peter Ipole advised against the practice of weaponising poverty to hoodwink the people into making wrong choices of their leaders, saying it had contributed to the political backwardness of Igedeland.

Another discussant, George Amara said in recruiting leaders, certain questions like who is the father of the aspiring leaders, what societal contributions has he or she made, and the issue of competence must be properly addressed.

Also in his comment, Dickson Eka obersved that a leader should be someone who inspires the people, urging Igede people to have a rethink and elect leaders outside praise-singing for undeserved personalities.

He said Igede leaders should adopt the “help each other grow” approach in order to reduce the burden of dependence. “We need to raise progressive minded people in Igedeland,” he said.