The first professor of Mass Communication in the entire Northern Nigeria, Professor John Sambe, at the weekend recalled how he sold off his properties to fund the All Progressives Congress in Benue State but has so far not been compensated with anything.
Sambe, who has declared his ambition to go to the Senate still on the platform of the party, lamented his losses, especially in 2015, when he took a shot at the senatorial ticket of the party but was denied.
Recalling his ordeal in politics, Sambe said it had taken him about three years to reorganise himself, after having sold his properties, spent a fortune, and sunk his entire life-savings into party politics.
Speaking with our correspondent, the don turned politician said, “Well, first and foremost, let me inform you that I ran for the position during the last elections up to the primaries; I participated in the Primaries alongside several other candidates at the time and one very unfortunate thing that occurred is that, having put in so much, not just money, but other contributions that I made in holding the party together first, as the chairman of caucus in Kwande Local Government and all of that, the party at the end never rewarded me in any way.
“I sold my property to prosecute that election and in the process, I built the party but nothing came out of it. Some people were made minister, commissioners and so on. I then decided to withdraw and remain aloof for some time to enable me reorganise myself, because I was virtually down after the whole exercise.”
Sambe said after experiencing the large dispossessions and flop in politics, he decided to return to the academics.
“So I took up a contract appointment with the University of Benin where I helped them to set up a department of Mass Communication and then, I moved over to Veritas University, Abuja where I am carrying out the same mandate of setting up a full-fledged department of Mass Communication for them.”
On why he now decides to return to politics despite his initial unpalatable experience, Sambe said, “Now as to why I still want to run, I think it is born out of the conviction to serve.
“Over the years, people who were given the voice to articulate the problems if the people in several ways reneged on doing that and I felt coming with the vast experience that I have, I should be able to provide that voice for my people; a voice that will open up opportunities for our young ones to get employed; a voice that will ensure development for our people.
And so, come 2019, I will once again offer myself so that I can be that instrument that will bring the desired change, that will bring back hope for our people,” he explained.
He noted that this time round, reputable people in his constituency had offered to contribute to his election campaigns, a situation that had boosted his morale.
Sambe who observed with regrets recent demeaning conducts in the Senate, said, “The senate is a very big institution that ordinarily ought to command tremendous level of respect and regard but recent happenings have rather made it a laughing stock among many Nigerians.
“I hear people openly coming out to castigate the entire National Assembly on several issues and it is very unfortunate; but be that as it may, we all as a people must come in and make efforts to ensure that the place is sanitised.”
On the state of the nation, Prof. Sambe urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to rest on his oars but up his game to win back the waning people’s confidence, especially now that he has thrown his hat into the ring, to run for second term.
“It is only now that issues are coming up, but if Buhari takes steps that will nip them in the bud, then I don’t see him having any issue with his reelection; but if he does not, then, they will create problems for him,” he said.
