‘We were leading in seven LGAs’ — Under-fire Dan Onjeh provides fresh ‘evidence’ on how he defeated David Mark in 2016 Benue South rerun

Under-fire ormer APC Benue South Senatorial candidate, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, has revisited the 2016 Benue South Senatorial rerun election, insisting that available field reports at the time showed that his campaign was leading in seven out of the nine local government areas before what he described as disputed developments during collation.

In a detailed statement titled “Putting the Records Straight on the 2016 Benue South Senatorial Rerun Election Between Former Senate President David Mark and Me,” Onjeh questioned the legality and integrity of the rerun election which was eventually won by former Senate President, Senator David Mark.

According to Onjeh, official figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that David Mark polled 82,786 votes while he secured 71,970 votes in the rerun election.

However, he argued that the election ought to have been declared inconclusive because the margin between both candidates was allegedly lower than the total number of cancelled votes recorded during the exercise.

“The margin between Senator David Mark and me stood at roughly 12,000 votes, while the number of cancelled votes exceeded 29,000,” he stated.

Onjeh disclosed that his campaign structure, known as the Onjeh Volunteers Organization (OVO), had deployed agents and operated a situation room that received real-time reports from polling units and collation centres across Benue South.

“As results began to emerge on the evening of February 20, 2016, indications from the field showed that we were leading in seven out of the nine LGAs, and confidence was high among our supporters and agents,” he claimed.

The former NANS president further alleged that reports later emerged from some locations indicating that already announced results were altered, cancelled or disputed under controversial circumstances.

According to him, his agents at the final collation centre in Otukpo formally objected to the declaration of a winner and demanded that the election be declared inconclusive in line with provisions of the Electoral Act.

Despite the objections, the Returning Officer proceeded to declare David Mark winner of the election.

Onjeh said his supporters subsequently staged a peaceful protest at the INEC headquarters in Makurdi, demanding supplementary elections in affected polling units.

He also recalled a private meeting with the then Resident Electoral Commissioner, who allegedly advised him not to push for another rerun because of rising tension and security concerns in the zone.

The APC chieftain maintained that the legal battle which followed was not merely about personal ambition but about “the sanctity of the democratic process and the dignity of the votes cast by the people of Benue South.”

Onjeh also released details of polling units across several local government areas where his agents allegedly reported disputed, cancelled or missing results during the rerun exercise.