David Mark, Abba Moro stole my mandate, I defeated them in 2015, 2023 — Dan Onjeh claims

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Benue South senatorial aspirant, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, has alleged that former Senate President, Senator David Mark, and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, denied him victory in previous senatorial elections despite allegedly defeating them at the polls.

IDOMA VOICE reports that Onjeh made the remarks shortly after undergoing the APC screening exercise in Abuja ahead of the party’s forthcoming primaries.

Speaking with journalists, the APC stalwart dismissed speculations surrounding automatic tickets within the party, insisting that all aspirants in Benue State would participate in direct primaries.

According to him, the APC had already adopted the direct primary option in line with constitutional provisions and internal party decisions.

“Benue State, if you recall, adopted the direct primaries option in the 2023 election, and now that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has streamlined it, it has made it even more convenient for the party to adopt,” he stated.

Onjeh explained that the issue of automatic tickets was merely a proposal raised during a peace meeting by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, but noted that the state government and party leadership had already resolved to conduct direct primaries.

“So, there is no such thing as automatic ticket in Benue State. We are all going into the primaries. We will test our popularity, and whoever emerges for the various offices will run on the platform of the APC,” he added.

The former senatorial candidate also took a swipe at Senator David Mark and Senator Abba Moro, claiming that both politicians currently occupy strategic positions that could influence his political ambition.

According to him, both leaders now have an opportunity to “return” what he described as his stolen mandate.

“Senator David Mark is currently the national chairman of one of the opposition parties, while Senator Abba Moro is occupying a strategic position as Senate Minority Leader. Both of them are in positions that are relevant to my contest because I have contested against them before.

“They now have an opportunity to return my stolen mandate because I defeated them in all of the elections,” Onjeh claimed.

He, however, expressed confidence in the APC primary process, insisting that the party would provide a level playing field for all aspirants seeking elective offices in the state.