By GABRIEL GWAJIME
There have been mixed reactions among family members and close associates over the news of the declaration for Benue governorship by both Susan Waya, wife of London-based popular Nigerian billionaire Terry Waya and Joseph Waya, junior brother to Terry Waya.
Elder Terhemba Uja who spoke to The Trumpet wondered why and how one family will produce two governorship aspirants. “It is confusing to us, but I pray that the immediate family would resolve the matter amicably, so that their supporters will not be divided,” he observed.
A notable female politician from Benue State Hembadoon Shija, in her own reaction, noted that everyone is free to take a shot at the plum seat.
Susan made her declaration since August 2021, on her Instagram page where she shared a campaign poster with her portrait with the inscription: “Who is coming with me? There’s no right time to do this, #TogetherWeRise.”
As if he was responding to his brother’s wife’s poser, Joseph, a former Editor-in-Chief of the defunct Makurdi-based Accord Newspaper, made his declaration at a press conference held last weekend in Makurdi.
Joseph said his coming into the race was to heed the call of his kinsmen at Mbakena, Mbayongo in Vandeikya local government area of Benue State
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According to him, his kinsmen had consistently and persistently beckoned on him to take a shot at the state’s governorship seat.
As Joseph Waya further explained, “It is with utmost respect and humility that I notify you of the desire of my kinsfolk and my acceptance thereof to contest for the governorship of Benue State in the forthcoming general elections of 2023.”
According to him, he did not just jump into his kinsmen’s clarion call, but had to go into “fasting and prayer” to seek spiritual guidance. He added that he had now been assured that “it was the right time to do so.”
He asserted: “Therefore, I have now accepted to run for the office of Governor of our dear state as this is God’s will for me and the state. As many people have already known, I have always had a penchant for service, especially selfless service that requires self-deprivation and sacrifice for the common good.
“Therefore, my decision to run for the governorship is solely informed by my undying desire to be of service to our people.”
While Susan has declared on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Joseph said he was yet to conclude on which platform he would be running for the governorship.
He promised that if given the opportunity to become the next Governor of Benue State, he would make a difference through: “character, integrity, resourcefulness, acumen, capacity, temperament, resilience, discipline, courage, fear of God among others into governance.”
