Benue APC gov’ship primary a disgrace to democracy – Orbunde

.alleges diversion of materials, allocation of votes

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, Mr. Terwase Orbunde, has rejected the outcome of Thursday’s governorship primary election in the state, describing the exercise as a disgrace to democracy and a threat to the unity of the party.

Orbunde who came second in the poll, spoke shortly after Governor Hyacinth Alia was declared winner of the primary election conducted across the state. He alleged that election materials meant for the exercise were diverted while results were allegedly allocated to aspirants without actual voting.

The aspirant claimed that the election process failed in most parts of the state, insisting that party members who turned out to participate in the exercise were denied the opportunity to vote.

According to him, “Of the 276 council wards, there was hardly anywhere that the materials were taken to. People waited, some in the rain, we didn’t see anybody, just for the results to be announced this morning.”

Orbunde maintained that the outcome of the primary could not be accepted by genuine party faithful, stressing that the development was capable of causing serious damage to the APC in Benue State if not properly addressed.

“Of course, we are petitioning against it, and we feel it is even a danger to the party because the people waited patiently and saw nothing, and then the result has been announced. It cannot be acceptable. It is not at all,” he said.

The former Chief of Staff to the Governor of Benue State however, urged his supporters and party members to remain calm, assuring them that he would pursue the matter through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism.

“But I will not stand here and tell you all my plans, but definitely I am ready to pursue this to the ultimate destination because it is endangering our party, and we do not want the APC in Benue State to suffer any damage as a result of the action of some people,” Orbunde stated.

He further added: “Like I said earlier, everybody should be calm. The party has an internal mechanism for resolving disputes. We will follow it to its logical conclusion, so we have advised our supporters to be calm and wait for the outcome.”

Another governorship aspirant, Mr. Jeffery Kuranun, who emerged third in the contest, also rejected the result of the primary, describing the entire exercise as a sham that should not be allowed to stand.

Kuranun alleged that the election was characterised by widespread irregularities, insisting that no credible primary election took place in many parts of the state due to the alleged diversion of election materials.

“There was no elections because materials for the election were diverted and I have video evidence of what transpired and showed that I won the election where it was conducted,” Kuranun alleged.

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