In the volatile theater of Benue politics, the concept of “loyalty” is often treated as a liquid asset, easily traded, frequently diluted, and rarely held in reserve. However, even by the fluid standards of the Nigerian political class, the recent maneuvers of Ojotu Ojema, the House of Representatives member representing the Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, have raised eyebrows.
The narrative emerging from the heart of Agatu and Apa is not one of strategic realignment, but rather a cautionary tale of a man who builds houses only to set them on fire once he has found a newer, shinier mansion to occupy.
To understand Ojema’s current trajectory, one must look at his history with Senator Abba Moro. It is an open secret in Benue South that Moro was the political godfather who cleared the path for Ojema. By handing him the keys to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) structures in Apa and Agatu, Moro gave Ojema the machinery necessary to ascend to the Green Chamber.
Yet, as soon as the political winds shifted and the allure of a “greener” platform appeared, Ojema did the unthinkable: he abandoned the structure that birthed his career. He didn’t just leave; he dismantled the bridge behind him. This initial act of political nomadism set a template that we are seeing repeated today within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The latest casualty in Ojema’s wake is Benjamin Omale, the Acting State Chairman of the APC in Benue. For a time, Omale and Ojema appeared to be in a symbiotic, albeit controversial, alliance. Reports suggest that this partnership was cemented by the hijacking and diversion of ward and local government congress materials intended for Apa and Agatu LGAs.
In a move that disenfranchised local party faithfuls, these materials, the very soul of grassroots democracy, were allegedly diverted to serve Ojema’s personal interests, with Omale providing the necessary administrative cover. But in the world of Ojotu Ojema, yesterday’s co-conspirator is tomorrow’s collateral damage. Despite Omale’s assistance in “securing” the local machinery, Ojema has reportedly turned his back on him, shifting his gaze toward a new prize.
Ojema has now transitioned his support to Benjamin Omakolo, particularly regarding the leadership dynamics within the Benue APC. The question that must be asked, and one that Omakolo would be wise to ponder, is: Why would the leopard change its spots now?
If Ojema could dump Senator Moro after being given everything on a silver platter, and if he could abandon Benjamin Omale after a messy collaboration involving party congress materials, what makes Omakolo think he is immune to this cycle of abandonment?
“He destroyed a party that made him, and he seems determined to do the same thing with the APC.”
This sentiment is echoing across the constituency. When a representative treats political parties and chairmen like disposable tools, the ultimate losers are the constituents of Apa and Agatu. The instability caused by these “antics” prevents any meaningful development from taking root. You cannot plant crops on shifting sands, and you certainly cannot build a stable federal constituency on the whims of a man who views trust as a burden.
Ojema’s track record suggests a man who is perpetually looking over the shoulder of his current ally to see who is standing behind them. His brand of politics is not about ideology or the progress of the Idoma people; it is about the survival of the self at the expense of the collective.
By hijacking congress materials, he has already signaled a disregard for the internal democracy of the APC. By turning on the very chairman (Omale) who facilitated his local dominance, he has proven that he lacks the “political honor” required to maintain a coalition.
The APC in Benue State, particularly the faction that Omakolo seeks to lead, must realize that Ojotu Ojema’s support is a poisoned chalice. He brings with him a history of wreckage, first the PDP, then the Omale alliance.
Who told Omakolo that he is the exception to the rule? History is the best teacher, and the history of Ojotu Ojema teaches us one thing: he cannot be trusted. As the 2027 cycle begins to loom in the distance, the people of Apa and Agatu, and indeed the leadership of the APC, must decide if they are willing to continue being passengers on a ship captained by a man who is always looking for the nearest lifeboat.
Godwin Anyebe is a Journalist and Rights Activist.
