Akase’s Campaign Team: Pointer To Inclusive Leadership Style

By Linus Hagher

When a cultural historian, Thomas Berry said “the greater the diversity, the greater the perfection’, he apparently meant to amplify the importance of all-inclusion in whatever men do.

Berry’s position has enjoyed a plethora of endorsements from many quarters and personalities including political ethicist Mahatma Gandhi who observed that “our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization”.

One of the leading Governorship aspirant in Benue State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Mr. Terver Akase no doubt belongs to the above schools of thought.

Akase, who sees his gubernatorial aspiration as “The People’s Project”, is living true to that as his campaign organisation has a complexion that clearly gives credence to his stand on inclusion.

Although Akase is about the youngest governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP, the composition of his campaign team is all-inclusive.

Benue sons and daughters of all demographics and shades of opinion are given the chance to market the Benue People’s Project that has become a leading brand in the Benue political space.

For instance, the young and energetic men in Akase’s campaign team are drawn from all parts of the state. The team has a good number of people from Benue South Senatorial District known as Zone C, in addition to those from Zones A and B.

Women who Akase has always identified as a key component of his ambition to lead Benue are equally well represented on the campaign team. The immediate past Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom has been vocal in marshalling out his plans for the Benue Woman. He has started keeping to his word by ensuring that women of different social, educational, ethnic and religious backgrounds are actively involved in selling his vision to the people.

As a bridge-builder, Akase has made it necessary that the elderly are brought on board to add their experience and wise counsel to the energy and ingenuity of the youth towards a robust and result-oriented campaign.

Akase’s love for humanity, especially the not-too privileged has endeared him to people with disabilities, PWDs who have taken his aspiration as their personal project. He too, in turn, has given them a voice by having a representation from them in his campaign team. His promise to create an agency to handle matters concerning them if he becomes Benue state governor in 2023 is indeed not looking like a mere political statement.

The Etulo people of Benue state are sometimes forgotten in the scheme of things in the state. Mr. Akase did not just remember the Etulos; he consulted Etulo stakeholders and they nominated a representative to serve on his campaign team. It is therefore no doubt that Akase is not playing lip service on his promise to carry all along if he gets the nod of the Benue people to lead them. His slogan, Together, We Can is obviously not a bait to cajole the people, but an affirmation of his belief in the power of togetherness and all-inclusion.

Akase’s disposition to non-violence campaigns and respect for other aspirants also stands the accomplished journalist out as a man who desires to make a change if given the chance to lead.

As the erudite publicist turned politician embarks on his journey to seek the people’s mandate, it is hoped that they will reciprocate the regard he has for them by entrusting him with the mandate to lead them come 2023.

Hagher a Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Abuja.