Gunshots, irregularities mar SDP primaries in Benue

Irregularities occasioned by ballot box snatching marred the senatorial and House of Representatives primary election of the Social Democratic Party held on Saturday in Benue State.

Party faithful in all three senatorial districts of the state complained bitterly that hoodlums hijacked the exercise in some areas.

An aide, Ukpen Diogo to Senator Barnabas Gemade who is seeking a third term, alleged that hoodlums loyal to his principal’s main contender, disrupted the process in two local government areas out of the seven in the Benue North East district.

At the party’s state Secretariat in Makurdi, complaints and aspirants as at 12:15pm on Sunday besieged the surrounding as they demanded justice to be done.

One of them, a House of Representatives hopeful, Samuel Abaji, alleged intimidation, tampering with result sheet from his Gwer West LGA.

Others also alleged over voting, ballot box snatching and hijacking of electoral materials.

But, the party’s state chairman, John Enemari, insisted that he would not speak about the elections until results are completely collated later this evening.

“We are still collating results from across the state. I will call you later when the process is concluded,” he said.