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A civil society organization, Benue For Good Governance, has strongly condemned reports that former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barrister Emmanuel Jime, intends to contest the 2027 Benue Northwest Senatorial election. In a detailed press statement circulating widely on social media and attributed to the Nigerian Concord Newspaper dated December 21, 2025, the group, through its National Coordinator Barrister Samuel Ijohor, called on Jime to first account for his past political records before aspiring for higher office.
The group raised a series of pointed questions about Jime’s performance during his tenures as a member of the House of Representatives representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), and Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council. They challenged him to publicly list any significant appointments he secured for Benue indigenes, federal projects attracted to his constituency, or tangible developments in Makurdi/Guma while he served as a federal lawmaker.
Further criticisms touched on his alleged lack of private investments or employment opportunities created for Benue citizens through his law chambers, describing him as operating “like a foreigner” with no visible business base or property in the state beyond government-provided accommodation. The statement accused Jime of failing to develop his constituency, instead focusing on internal party conflicts and distancing himself from Governor Hyacinth Alia in recent times.
More controversially, the advocacy group revisited old allegations from 2018, claiming Jime played a role in financing Fulani herders associations during a period of heightened farmer-herder clashes that resulted in numerous deaths in Benue between 2015 and 2018. They demanded explanations for these purported actions and his overall contributions while heading NEPZA and the Shippers Council.
On zoning and equity, the group argued that traditional rotation arrangements do not favor Jime’s Ihyarev clan for the senatorial seat in 2026/2027, noting that other clans have produced senators multiple times. They also criticized his recent conduct regarding a Tiv traditional title conferment on his wife, Chieftaincy, alleging he disrespected the Tiv Traditional Council by not attending with her and family.
Additionally, the statement highlighted Jime’s perceived opportunistic political behavior, including past threats against the Tor Tiv and shifts in allegiance during party leadership tussles. Benue For Good Governance vowed to resist his emergence, insisting on fairness and a candidate with proven commitment to the zone.
As Benue politics heats up ahead of 2027, this outspoken opposition underscores deep divisions and the intense scrutiny aspirants face over past records and communal ties in a state grappling with security, development, and equity issues. Jime, a seasoned politician and 2019 APC gubernatorial candidate, has yet to respond publicly to these latest charges.
