Former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Engr. Benson Abounu, has described the 20-year tenure of former Senate President David Mark as a product of its time, arguing that such prolonged representation would be difficult under today’s more informed and politically conscious electorate.
Abounu made the remarks while discussing political developments in Benue South ahead of the 2027 elections. He noted that the democratic environment had changed significantly since Mark’s era. “Do you think that if it were today, they would have been able to do 20 years? They would not do 20 years because of how the system was evolving. It was evolving. The democratic principles were nascent,” he said. “But today, people are wiser, people are more informed, and people are much more—they have feelings now that they didn’t have before.”
The former deputy governor has also cautioned against politicians from Benue South contemplating third or fourth terms in the Senate, describing such ambitions as a disservice to the political survival and unity of the senatorial district and the Idoma nation. He stressed the importance of zoning to ensure fairness, equity and justice among the various political blocs in the district, warning that continued disregard for rotational arrangements could breed resentment and threaten harmony.
Abounu’s position has drawn criticism from the camp of the incumbent Benue South Senator and Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, who is seeking a third term. Moro’s media adviser, Emmanuel Eche’Ofun John, faulted Abounu’s opposition, describing it as an attempt to portray malice as agitation for zoning. He argued that Moro’s decision to seek another term was constitutional, noting that there is no constitutional limit on the number of terms a legislator can serve provided the electorate continues to support the lawmaker.
John cited examples of other long-serving senators and referenced Mark’s own 20-year tenure, which ended with his voluntary retirement in 2019. He challenged claims of a binding zoning agreement in Benue South and maintained that Abounu’s stance was not motivated purely by principle.
Abounu, for his part, has insisted that his views on prolonged tenure and zoning are not driven by personal grievances against Moro. He recalled that Moro accompanied him when he went to collect his nomination form at the PDP national headquarters in Abuja, underscoring that their political differences should not be interpreted as personal enmity.
The exchange highlights the intensifying debate over zoning, equity and tenure in Benue South as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 senatorial contest.
