Benue 2023: Governorship aspirants reject APC primary, call for fresh election

By Our Reporter

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had been thrown into turmoil in Benue State after the party’s governorship primary election. Four governorship aspirants of the state APC who include Engr. Barnabas Gemade, Mike Aondoakaa SAN, Mathias Ibuan and Terhemba Shija have rejected the primary election, petitioned the APC Governorship Appeal Panel Committee, and demanded fresh conduct of transparent primary in the state.

Engr. Barnabas Gemade, Mike Aondoakaa SAN, and Terhemba Shija are protesting that there was no primary election conducted by the APC leaders in Benue State, therefore, demanding the conduct of free, fair, and credible primaries. However, Mathias Ibuan is protesting that the process was flawed and shortchanged certain aspirants in some parts of the state to favour an aspirant.

Some members of the Benue State APC were on mass protest in Makurdi, to express their dissatisfaction with the state party leadership and the process of conducting the primaries. The APC protesters argued that primaries did not hold in the state. The protesters, therefore, demanded the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) to revisit the Benue primaries, and order the conduct of open election in the interest of the party in the state.

The APC governorship primary election in Benue State was won by a Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Hyacinth Iormen Alia. The priest was suspended by the Catholic Church for engaging in partisan politics before the controversial primary election was held.

The Benue State APC Executive Council insisted that the primary election was conducted and results collated, announced as published in the state.

The APC Appeal Panel Committee, composed of three members, led by Ogoama Ocheama, acknowledging the petitions, assured of justice in handling the petitions. The Appeal Panel Committee members also include Gyang Ding Gyang, Secretary; and Lawal Na-Rogo.

Rev. Alia’s candidature was so loud before the APC primary was held in the state. He faced several oppositions from party stakeholders; the oppositions eventually made him more popular than perhaps he would have been. The oppositions have continued in the post-convention period.

However, the State APC leaders, including the governorship candidate, Alia, may consider urgent steps of reconciliation to reunite the party in Benue State towards the 2023 general elections.