Benue South 2019: What happened during APC’s executives, aspirants’ meeting in Otukpo

By Ankeli Oche Abel

Aspirants into various political offices on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and members of the party in Benue South senatorial district have been assured of level playing ground in the primaries that will produce the party flag bearers in the 2019 elections.

This was one of the high points of the meeting for party executives and aspirants yesterday, put together by the leader of the party in the zone and State Deputy Governor, Engr Benson Abounu at his Otukpo residence.

Engr Benson Abounu who organised the get-together to formally receive the newly sworn-in party executives from the zone and also discus with the aspirants as members of one family on how to ensure victory for the party in the fort-coming elections, assured them that there will be a level playing ground for all of them. He also called on party members who feel aggrieved in any way not to do anything that would negatively affect the fortunes of the party.

To the aspirants, he told them not to be afraid but to continue with their consultations, confident that the primaries will be done in transparent and free manner, and that any one that emerges shall become the official candidate of the party.

He stated that what makes aspirants angry is the belief that they have been cheated and the process manipulated to favour another aspirant.

The position of the deputy governor was supported by the party Zonal chairman, Mohammed Hassan, who pledged that the party will provide an honest, fair and transparent process for the emergence of credible candidates that will fly the party’s flag in the 2019 elections.

The issue of imposition of candidates and the need for party unity dominated the discussion. Most of the speakers warned against any form of imposition with everyone applauding the party leader for his principled stand and his support for, free, fair and transparent primary elections.

Chief Mike Onoja, one of the senatorial aspirants canvased the selection of the most popular aspirant to fly the party’s flag warning that anything done to the contrary could spell doom for the party.

In separate speeches, Chief Steven Lawani, and Dr David Egboja, both of them senatorial aspirants preached party unity and discipline, arguing that except the party is united, victory for it might be difficult in 2019.

Hon. (Barr) Patricia Kpuchi, a commissioner with the National Population Commission made a case for more active participation of the Benue people in political activities and in the happenings at the National Population commission, particularly registration of new births.

There were messages of solidarity from party members in the four federal constituencies in the zone and assurances of the party’s victory in the 2019 General elections