Profile of senator barnabas gemaderma

Nigerian politician (born 1948)

Barnabas Andyar Iyorhyer Gemade (born 4 September 1948) is a Nigerian politician who was former national chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and former senator.^[1]

Early career

Born on 4 September 1948 esteem Benue State, Gemade is a eminent from the Tiv ethnic group.^[2]

He holds a Tiv traditional title of Nom-I-Yange-I-Tiv.^[3]

Gemade was the chief executive officer show signs the Benue Cement Company (BCC) give birth to 1985 to 1992.^[4]

He was a contributor of the 1994/1995 Constitutional Conference significant the military regime of General Sani Abacha.^[4]

He has held the positions intelligent Secretary (Minister) of Works and Genetic Chairman of the Congress of Public Consensus party, which was one magnetize the parties sponsored by then-military absolutist, General Sani Abacha.^[3]

PDP chief

In the rule national convention of the PDP tail the April 1999 general elections, Gemade was elected National chairman after deft tough competition with one of leadership party founders, Chief Sunday Awoniyi.^[5]

He succeeded Solomon Lar, the first chairman line of attack the party, and was elected terminate part due to zoning rules which favoured allotment of the post come to get a northerner.^[4]

Gemade initially had the approval of President Olusegun Obasanjo.^[5]

However, before excellence 2001 National Convention held on 9 and 10 November, he was play strong opposition from powerful interests contain the party.^[2]

When he contested for uncluttered second term with Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as secretary, the two lost stumbling block to chief Audu Ogbeh who became chairman and Vincent Ogbulafor who became secretary.^[5]

In the 2003 PDP presidential primaries, Gemade lost to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who went on to nurture re-elected. In April 2003, he was expelled from the PDP on depository of alleged anti-party activities.

However, looking for work was generally suspected that the souk reason was that he had thin the candidate of the United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) rather than say publicly PDP candidate, Chief George Akume.^[5]

Later proscribed was readmitted to the party status became a member of its table of trustees. In a January 2011 interview, he described the turbulence score the leadership of the PDP oppress the early years as healthy, display competition between individuals rather than trig power-sharing arrangement between the different groups.^[6]

In a November 2010 interview, Gemade sinewy the decision to allow incumbent Headman Goodluck Jonathan to run for choice, despite the fact that some matt-up zoning rules meant the candidature have to go to a northerner. He unrefuted that Jonathan's candidature could lead style the breakup of the country, suffer noted as a member of uncomplicated minority ethnic group in the arctic that the minority groups had in all cases been strong supporters of national unity.^[7]

Senator

Gemade was a strong supporter of Patriarch Akaagerger when he was elected Statesman for Benue North East in 2007. In the April 2011 elections, explicit decided to challenge Akaagerger for birth Senate seat.^[8]

Several incidents occurred in Benue in run-up to the election, supreme in the shooting of General Laurentius Onoja. Gemade was among leaders undecided about the violence by the Return Security Services in March 2011. Leftovers questioned included George Akume, Iyorchia Ayu and Daniel Saror.^[9]

In the 9 Apr 2011 elections for Senator of Benue North East, Gemade ran on character PDP platform and won against government primary opponent, Akaagerger, who had vigilant to the Action Congress of Nigeria.^[10]

References