Tule urges Kunav to break silence over political imbalance in 2027
By Ernen Kaanti
Dr. Terver Zua Tule has challenged the Kunav people to break what he described as years of political silence and mobilise against an alleged imbalance in the rotation of the Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency seat ahead of the 2027 election.
Tule made the call on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Gboko, Benue State, while addressing members of the Yongu-Tiev Community Development Association (YTCDA), where the association and representatives of the Kunav Women Development Association expressed support for his bid for the House of Representatives.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate told the gathering that his aspiration was rooted not simply in the pursuit of political office but in what he described as a desire to confront longstanding development and representation gaps affecting Mbayongu-Tiev.
The 2027 contest for the Konshisha/Vandeikya Federal Constituency is already taking shape, with Tule listed among the candidates for the seat.
Tule, who said his visit to Gboko was primarily to identify with Yongu-Tiev people living outside their ancestral home, nevertheless used the occasion to challenge the community to interrogate what he described as its prolonged absence from meaningful political consideration.
He said the issue, in his view, went beyond his individual ambition and concerned the political future of Mbayongu and the opportunities available to its younger generation.
According to him, political participation should not end with voting during elections but should include active engagement in decisions over who represents communities and how such representation is translated into development.
Tule said the people of Yongu-Tiev were endowed with human and material potential but warned against what he described as political spectatorship.
He urged the community to examine its political history, question existing arrangements and determine whether those arrangements continued to serve the interests of its people.
“The 2027 seat in the Federal House of Representatives belongs to Kunav, and I am not dragging another man’s seat,” he said.
Tule alleged that Kunav, particularly Mbayongu-Tiev, had been left out of consideration in the rotation of the constituency’s federal seat for an extended period, warning that prolonged political arrangements could eventually be treated as though they were established conventions.
He therefore challenged community elders and political stakeholders to break what he called a “destructive silence” and speak more forcefully about the community’s political interests.
“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 former Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Benue State Chapter, also questioned what he described as a culture of political contentment, arguing that communities risk losing opportunities when they remain passive in political affairs.
He urged the people to look beyond immediate financial inducements during elections and instead consider the longer-term consequences of political representation for infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment and other development needs.
“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.
Tule, who donated N50,000 to YTCDA during the interaction, said his interest in elective office was not motivated by a search for titles or personal recognition.
“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.
He said his professional experience and travels had repeatedly forced him to question why communities in his homeland had not enjoyed some of the development interventions he had seen elsewhere.
“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.
Tule cited the establishment of a hospital in Vandeikya as an example of what he described as his approach to service, saying his decision to establish the facility was informed by the healthcare needs of residents rather than his place of residence.
“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 consequently appealed to Mbayongu-Tiev to participate actively in the 2027 election, stressing that political influence is ultimately tied to participation at the polls.
Describing himself as a son of Mbayongu “by the infinite wisdom of God and not by mistake”, Tule asked the community to give him what he called its “kingly blessings” and support.
He said unity of purpose and sustained political participation would be necessary if Mbayongu was to strengthen its voice within the constituency.
The YTCDA Chairman, David Soonkpen, endorsed Tule’s aspiration and thanked him for what he described as the courage to enter the political arena.
Soonkpen recalled his family’s experience with one of Tule’s free medical outreach programmes, saying the intervention had strengthened his confidence in Tule’s commitment to public service.
The YTCDA Secretary, Hungwa Sylvester, also commended Tule for what he described as the courage to seek to alter the political narrative of Mbayongu-Tiev and Vandeikya.
Hungwa urged members of the community to support Tule’s aspiration with their votes and participation in the 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,” she said.
Mrs Member Iordye also expressed support for Tule, recalling her experience with his healthcare facility and describing him as a candidate capable, in her view, of offering a different direction for the constituency.
The meeting ended with calls from YTCDA leaders and representatives of the Kunav women for increased political participation as the 2027 House of Representatives election approaches.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled Nigeria’s nationwide presidential and House of Assembly general elections for January 16, 2027.