Benue APC stakeholders protest imposition of Ortom’s running mate

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has continued to deepen as some stakeholders of the party in the state have protested against what they described as ‘imposition’ of Engr. Benson Abounu as running mate to Dr. Samuel Ortom.

It should be noted that the candidature of Dr. Ortom is ongoing a law suit at a Federal High Court, Abuja where four aggrieved aspirants including Prof. Steven Ugbah, Rep. Emmanuel Jime, Sen. Joseph Waku and Hon. Mike Iordye are asking the court to interpret the Electoral Act as well as the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria as it concerns the conduct of party primaries. They are also asking the court to restrain the erstwhile minister of State, Trade, Industries and Investment to cease from parading himself as the party’s candidate. The case is expected to be heard on January 7, 2015.

The party stakeholders in a protest letter addressed to the Senate Minority Sen. George Akume, the state party chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro and copied to the National Chairman of APC John Oyegun, the zonal chairman, APC Benue South Senatorial district and Chief Audu Ogbe, and signed by Patrick Ukwenya, Okpokwu, Baba .T. Salami, Apa APC leader, Boniface Okloho, APC  Ohimini and Emmanuel Idu, Otukpo, lamented over the adoption of Abounu as a misnomer.

They regretted that it is a conscious attempt to make the party lose the election,  adding too that it is a bad idea to impose the candidature of Engr. Abounu who had always failed to deliver his ward (Okete) in all elections.

“Without any fear of contradiction, Engr. Abounu has never assumed any leadership role of the party in Idoma land and has never made any substantial sacrifice in bringing all members of the party together in Zone C and as such will not enjoy the support of party faithful and electorates in the forthcoming election because of his antecedent”

“As a former commissioner for Water Resources and Environment of the State, he had failed to deliver the dividend of democracy in Idoma land”, the letter read.

While dissociating themselves from the candidature of Abounu on grounds that they were not carried along in the decision- making process that brought about the choice of his candidature as running mate to Ortom, the stakeholders of the party who carried placards some of which read ‘no to imposition,  ‘ we want change’, ‘ let the will of the people be done’, disrupted traffic along the Makurdi/ Gboko.

They maintained that the party needs a vibrant candidate who will be able to galvanize serious support for its victory during the governorship election.

“We, therefore appeal that you use your good office to reconsider your decision and the effects such decision would have on the outcome of the general election in Idoma land come 2015. We are giving this appeal in order to avoid the consistent blame usually apportioned to Idoma people by our Tiv brothers for always failing to deliver our party in Zone C”, they passionately appealed.