Supreme Court Verdict: Benue has missed an opportunity to be transformed – APC

State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue sees the Supreme Court judgement that affirmed the reelection of Governor Samuel Ortom of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP as a missed opportunity for Benue to have witnessed true development that the Jime/ Ode gubernatorial ticket had sought to offer.

Sequel to the declaration of election results last year, which in the party’s estimation did not reflect the true voting position of the Benue electorate, APC genuinely interrogated PDP’s victory which in all rational parametres was foisted on the state amidst helpless gnashing of teeth.

Our team of lawyers professionally explored available legal windows from the Tribunal, Appellate Court and the Supreme Court in frantic attempts to recover the mandate that we still believe our party won but was shortchanged.

Having finally missed the mandate recovery opportunity at the Apex Court, consequent upon yesterday’s judgement, the party has resolved to go back to the drawing board to reexamine its strategies and consider workable options for the next electoral dispensation rather than wallow in the valley of the defeat.

It is indeed a tough moment for our supporters who were practically robbed of victory despite the massive support base the party enjoys in the state but we are hopeful of a resounding bounce back, with sweet revenge in the days ahead.

The party appreciates our governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Barr. Emmanuel Jime and his running mate, Hon. Dr. Sam Ode mni who arguably presented the most convincing manifesto and have given a good fight, both at the polls and the three litigation layers.

To us, you are still the winners because we freely gave you our mandate, though it was snatched away through underhand dealings but we will never give up in our quest to provide purposeful opposition to our opponents, with their million administrative errors.

The party equally extends appreciations to our Leader, the Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator Dr George Akume for painstakingly steering the APC ship in the state, despite all conspiratory arrows targeted at him.

Having ended these streams of litigations in high spirits, we congratulate the Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Samuel Ortom on his victory at the polls, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and affirmed by the court.

We implore the governor to shift his tent from emotional governance and embark on concrete and verifiable capital projects that would serve as legacies of his administration, reminding him that he would not occupy the seat forever.

To our esteemed supporters who toiled for the party’s victory that was obnoxiously truncated, we encourage you to be strong and of good courage, for you are not the actual victims of this shipwreck but the thousands of civil servants and pensioners, who are still owed backlog of salary/ pension arrears, the Benue students who rather than being paid scholarships have paid 500 naira each to the state government without accessing any scholarship, and indeed every Benue man and woman desirous of positive development as seen in other states of the federation but missing in Benue since the current administration assumed leadership.

We beckon on the thousands of Benue people who have concluded plans to join APC not to be deterred by this saddening experience as these tough times have only preceded greater days ahead and our best time to rebuild is now.

The Benue emancipation project has just been temporarily delayed but will be actualized in 2023 on the APC platform, despite the long walk through the desert of poor leadership as being offered by the present Benue State Government.

James Ornguga,

Acting State Publicity Secretary, APC, Benue State.

January 22, 2020.