Stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zone C of Benue State on Saturday called for the quick intervention of the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullah Adamu in the crisis ravaging the party over the selection of a deputy governorship candidate for the 2023 election.
The stakeholders warned that unless the Adamu-led national leadership wades into the dispute and amicably and objectively resolves the matter, the party might be heading for the rocks in the coming election.
The grouse of the stakeholders arose from the way the Idoma nation was denied the opportunity to produce the governorship candidate for the 2023 election.
The Idomas and their Igede counterparts had agitated for the governorship seat this time around having been denied the opportunity in the past 47 years the state was created.
However, the crisis currently rocking the party is on the selection of the deputy governorship candidate where attempts are being made to deny the Zone C Senatorial District the opportunity to recommend a candidate of their choice.
Rather than allowing the Idoma nation to decide and recommend a suitable candidate, attempts are being made using Senator Jack Tilley Gyado and Chief Simon Shango, both Tiv by tribe to impose a former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Hon Sam Ode whose mother is of the Tiv lineage with the governorship candidate and state leader of the party, Senator George Akume.
The stakeholders recalled that the scenario played out in the 2019 election during which APC lost woefully in Benue State.
The Zone C stakeholders drew the attention of the Adamu-led national leadership to the roles played by the same people during the last governorship primary which has attracted nine different Court cases against the party
The Stakeholders appealed to the APC national leaders to wade into the dispute and stop those making the unpopular move to impose a deputy governorship candidate at the detriment of the senatorial district.
They warned that the party might witness defections unless concerted efforts are made to stop injustice in the party in the state.
Meanwhile, the APC Elders in Benue South have denied a statement credited to “Committee of Wise Men” to the effect that Dr Sam Ode has been nominated as governorship running mate.
The statement signed by a former Senate President, Chief Ameh Ebute, and 13 others read in part “The attention of the APC elders in Benue South Senatorial District has been drawn to a News item published online on 22nd July, 2022 by TheNigerian News, purporting the nomination of Dr. Sam Ode as the running mate to the governorship candidate of APC in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia. The news credited the purported nomination to a recommendation from the APC elders council referred to as ‘Committee of Wise Men’.
“With the mandate of the APC elders in Benue South Senatorial District which slot it is to produce the Deputy Governorship Candidate for the party, I wish to state as follows:
“That the APC elders in Benue South were never consulted by any one on the purported nomination of Dr. Sam Ode as running mate to the APC Governorship Candidate.
“That no elder of the party met under any committee of Wise Men or APC Elders’ Council to do any discussion on the choice of running mate to the APC governorship candidate on 21st July, 2022 as claimed in the news.
“That APC Elders’ Council in Benue South Senatorial District is yet to be constituted after it’s dissolution by the current state working committee of the party on assumption of office.
“That Chief John Ochoga is not the Chairman of any APC Elders’ Council in Benue South Senatorial District as the Elders Council has not been constituted after its dissolution.
“That the purported nomination of Dr. Sam Ode as contained in the news is a deliberate attempt by mischief makers to cause tension and disharmony in the party in order to undermine our victory in the coming election.
“That the APC Elders are having an emergency meeting on Saturday, 23rd July, 2022 to address the ugly development in order to prevent the repeat of the electoral misfortune suffered by our party in the state 2019”.
Those who signed the statement are Senator Ameh Ebute, Gen. Lawrence Onoja, Chief Stephen Lawani, Alhaji Usman Abubakar, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Gen. Chris Garuba, Engr. Morgan Okwoche, Chief Ameh Udoh, Prince Obande Omoi, Comrade Abba Yaro, Hon. Nick Eworo, Chief Johnson Inalegwu Agada, Chief Edwin Anyebe and Hon. Philip Achegblu.