Jechira 2027: YTCDA endorses Dr. Tule for Rep
By Ernen Kaanti
The Yongu-Tiev Community Development Association (YTCDA), Gboko, has endorsed the aspiration of Dr. Terver Zua Tule to represent the Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in the 2027 general election.
The endorsement came yesterday, 27th September, 2026, during Dr. Tule’s interaction with members of the association in Gboko, where community leaders and representatives of the Kunav women’s group expressed support for his bid and urged the people of Mbayongu-Tiev to mobilise behind his candidacy.
Speaking at the gathering, Dr. Tule said his visit was not primarily political but an opportunity to identify with members of the Yongu-Tiev community living in the diaspora. He, however, said it would be inappropriate to meet with them without addressing what they might have heard about his decision to contest the Jechira House of Representatives seat, inviting them to join the rest of Mbayongu community at home this Saturday as he fully addresses them concerning the slot and his contest.
Speaking further at the event, Tule challenge the community to probe how Mbayongu as a people are being neglected and then interrogate the future of their children in a near future. He said the time had come for the people of Mbayongu to move away from what he described as political spectatorship and become more actively involved in decisions concerning their representation and development.
He argued that the people of Yongu-Tiev were gifted and blessed and should not underutilise their potential. He encouraged them to participate actively in the political process.
According to him, having gone through the required processes and secured his place on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) register, the people of Yongu-Tiev should decide to support his aspiration if they believed it represented their interests, urging the people to participate fully in the election, stressing that political participation, beyond voting, could have implications for access to development and representation.
Tule expressed concern that the prolonged absence of Mbayongu-Tiev from what he described as meaningful political consideration could have consequences for the community’s development prospects. He maintained that the 2027 House of Representatives contest should be viewed within the broader question of representation in Jechira, arguing that the seat was due for consideration by the Kunav axis.
“The 2027 seat in the Federal House of Representatives belongs to Kunav, and I am not dragging another man’s seat,” he said.
Lamenting what he described as the exclusion of Kunav, particularly Mbayongu-Tiev, from consideration in the rotation of the seat over twenty years ago, Tule warned that when the unfortunate political arrangement continued for too long without correction, it could gradually assume the character of an unwritten rule, making efforts to alter it increasingly difficult at the detrimental effect of his people.
“Those who are supposed to speak have remained silent for too long. We must break loose from destructive silence and create a positive narrative for our children,” he said.
The Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) candidate challenged the community elders and other stakeholders to reconsider what he termed a culture of political contentment and indifference, arguing that such an attitude could cause Yongu-Tiev community to lose opportunities that should ordinarily accrue to it.
He said his concern was not merely about securing a political title but about using representation to address what he described as longstanding development gaps in Mbayongu. He listed potable water, healthcare facilities, roads, electricity and schools among the basic amenities he said remained inadequate in parts of the community.
“If you see roads in Mbayongu, the roads are constructed by holes. Electricity is purely private individual effort; water, schools and hospitals are also inadequate. They have sidelined us, and this is too bad,” he said.
The former Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Benue State Chapter who gave the YTCDA a sum of fifty thousand Naira (#50,000) during the interface also cautioned against reducing elections to the distribution of immediate financial benefits, arguing that temporary financial inducements could not substitute for sustainable development.
Tule said the people should look beyond petty cash and consider the long-term consequences of political representation, particularly for youth and women seeking opportunities for better livelihoods. This he said while explaining that his ambition was not driven by a desire to acquire another title, saying his professional career had already exposed him to positions, recognition and awards.
“I have worked as a medical doctor for over 35 years and have received so many awards and titles. But these things do not matter to me. What matters to me is: what have I done for the people, and how can I do more?” he said.
Tule said his motivation for seeking elective office was therefore connected to what he referred to as burning desire to make a broader impact on the lives of the people.
“I have worked and travelled across the width and breadth of the world, and I have received awards, but in most cases I shed tears. I shed tears and not tears of joy, but tears from the questions I asked myself concerning my own home. Why are these excellent things not done in my home?” he said. He attributed what he described as the failure to translate political positions into tangible development to a tendency to celebrate titles rather than measurable achievements.
The public health practitioner cited the establishment of a hospital in Vandeikya as an example of his approach to public service, saying the facility was established in response to the healthcare needs he observed in the community rather than because he resided there.
“I don’t reside in Vandeikya, but I do visit, and the people who reside in Vandeikya need a good hospital too,” he said.
He therefore urged Mbayongu-Tiev to demonstrate greater commitment to political participation and support his aspiration, saying such support would strengthen his ability to negotiate for development opportunities for the community.
Dr. Tule also appealed to the people of Mbayongu to reject voter apathy, noting that elections are decided by votes and that failure to participate in things like election could affect a community’s influence in the political process. Tule said this while describing himself as a son of Mbayongu “by the infinite wisdom of God and not by mistake” and appealed to the community to give him what he described as its “kingly blessings” and support, noting that unity of purpose and a determined effort to participate in the political process were necessary if Mbayongu was to strengthen its voice within the constituency.
Endorsing Dr. Tule’s aspiration, the Chairman of YTCDA, Gboko, Mr. David Soonkpen, thanked the aspirant for taking what he described as a bold step into the political arena and pledged the association’s continued support for his candidacy.
Mr. Soonkpen recalled his personal experience with one of Dr. Tule’s free medical outreach programmes, saying his family had benefited significantly from the exercise. He said the experience had strengthened his conviction that Tule had qualities associated with public service and prayed for God’s continued blessing and strength for him as he ventured into politics.
The Secretary of YTCDA, Gboko, Mr. Hungwa Sylvester, also commended Tule for the uncommon courage by Tule to seek to rewrite the political history of Mbayongu-Tiev and even the entire Vandeikya as a political macrocosm.
Hungwa called on the people to support Dr. Tule’s aspiration with their votes and collective participation in his campaign.
Similarly, the Chairperson of the Kunav Women Development Association, Gboko branch, Mrs. Alice Erdoor Akumechie, described Tule as a courageous son of Mbayongu and pledged the support of the women.
“You are one of our outstanding sons. You are so courageous, and we will not betray the trust and confidence you have in us as your mothers. We assure you that we will work and be your feet during this political adventure, which we are sure will lead to celebration,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Member Iordye expressed delight at Tule’s decision to contest the election and recounted her experience with Apewaren Hospital, a health facility founded by Dr. Tule with several branches across Benue State including Vandeikya, Gboko, and Makurdi.
She described the the Dr. Tule as highly egalitarian and a candidate she believed could provide a new direction for Jechira and urged the community to support his aspiration.
The gathering therefore ended with renewed calls from the YTCDA leadership and representatives of the Kunav women for greater political participation and support for Dr. Tule ahead of the 2027 House of Representatives election.