- Benue’s senators are responsible for lawmaking, impeachment of high-ranking officials, and confirming presidential nominations
- The senators also focus on representing the diverse needs and interests of Benue’s citizens at the national level
- TheRadar compiled the Senators representing the People of Benue State in the 10th National Assembly
As part of our ongoing ‘Know Your Lawmakers’ series, we spotlight the senators representing Benue State in the National Assembly for the period between 2023 and 2027.
Benue State, often referred to as the "Food Basket of the Nation," was created in 1976 and derives its name from the Benue River, which was originally called Ber-nor in the Tiv language.
Benue's senators hold critical responsibilities in the National Assembly. These include lawmaking, impeachment of high-ranking officials, and confirming presidential nominations.
Beyond these constitutional duties, they are instrumental in advocating for the interests and welfare of their constituents, ensuring that the needs of Benue’s diverse population are effectively represented at the national level.
Below are the senators representing Benue State in the 10th National Assembly:
1. Abba Patrick Moro (Benue North-East)
Abba Patrick Moro, the current Senator representing Benue North-East in Nigeria’s National Assembly, has been a vocal advocate in pushing for constitutional reforms regarding local government administration. Moro, who assumed office on June 11, 2019, succeeded politician David Mark, who is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Born on July 3, 1956, in Okpokwu, Benue State, Moro's career spans both education and politics. He was first elected Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Council in 1998. He also contested the Benue State governorship race in 2007 but was unsuccessful.
His political career advanced when he was appointed Minister of the Federal Ministry of Interior by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. In addition to his political work, Moro has served as a lecturer and held administrative roles at Benue State Polytechnic.
Moro has remained an active legislator in the 9th and 10th Senate, sponsoring several bills and motions.
As part of his legislative contributions, he moved a motion calling for the abolition of Caretaker Committees overseeing local government councils, which are often appointed by state governors to replace democratically elected officials.
The motion, which was unanimously endorsed by the Senate, called for the federal government to withhold monthly statutory allocations from local governments being administered by caretaker committees. Senators expanded the scope of the motion to include other states where unelected council executives are in power.
The lawmakers condemned the dissolution of democratically elected local councils, urging governors to respect the rule of law and uphold the constitution. In his argument, Moro described the replacement of elected local government officials with caretaker committees as unconstitutional, noting that the 1999 Constitution mandates that states ensure the existence of local government councils by law.
2. Tartenger Titus Zam (Benue North-West)
Born in 1970 in Benue State, Titus Zam Tartenger, the lawmaker representing Benue North-West Senatorial District was appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for the 10th Senate on August 8, 2023.
Elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tartenger is serving his first term in the Senate. One of his most notable legislative initiatives is a bill seeking the creation of the National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission.
The proposed bill aimed to manage and regulate ranches nationwide, to curb the frequent clashes between farmers and herders. Leading the debate on the bill, Zam Tartenger emphasised its importance, stating, “The proposed National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission is for the management, preservation, and control of ranches throughout Nigeria.”
Although the bill faced strong opposition from some senators, it ultimately garnered broad support, with many lawmakers agreeing that its passage would help resolve the longstanding conflicts between the two groups. Following a voice vote led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the bill was passed.
It was then referred to the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Judiciary, and Legal Matters for further consideration. The committees have been tasked with reviewing the bill and reporting back to the Senate for further action.
3. Udende Memsa Emmanuel (Benue North East)
Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende, representing Benue North East Senatorial District (Zone A), secured his place in the Nigerian Senate following his victory in the February 25, 2023, National Assembly elections.
Udende defeated the incumbent senator and former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, marking his first term in the Senate.
Udende’s political career began in 2011 when he was elected to the Federal House of Representatives, representing the Ukum/Katsina-Ala/Logo Federal Constituency on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
After being re-elected in 2015, Udende switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016, citing internal leadership issues within the PDP. Although he lost his re-election bid in 2019, he eventually secured the APC nomination for the Benue North East senatorial seat in 2022, which led to his success in the 2023 elections.
As part of his legislative move, Udende moved a motion urging the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to adhere to the Federal Character Principle in their recruitment processes. He proposed that at least 10 police constables be recruited from each of Nigeria's 774 local government areas.
Udende argued that such a measure would promote national unity, enhance community policing, and reduce tensions and distrust that have often followed previous recruitment exercises. He emphasised that the Federal Character Principle, which aims to ensure fair and equitable representation in public service, is essential for preventing regional imbalances and fostering national cohesion.
“I will, in the interim, oppose the creation of State Police. As you know, most of our political leaders, especially those Governors are crazy, they have mad attitudes to issues and low comprehension ability to the principles of fair play.
“They will abuse the good intentions of the spirit of State Police, use it to harass and intimidate not just their political opponents but anyone who goes against their thoughts and aspirations.
“In place of State Police, I’m for Community policing under the supervision and control of the federal government. This is the best approach for now in my opinion.
“To this effect, I moved a motion on the floor of the Senate earlier urging the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to recruit at least 10 persons from each local government area in Nigeria in the spirit of the federal character principle.
“Such personnel could be posted within the local government areas and that’s community policing pure and clear. If they do that for 10 years, would we still be talking about State Police?” Udende asked.
Know Your Lawmakers Series: Here are the senators representing Borno state in 10th Assembly
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Senators play an important role in lawmaking, overseeing government activities, and advocating for their constituents.
TheRadar profiled the three senators representing the people of Bayelsa state in the 10th National Assembly.