Benue State National Assembly Caucus yesterday accused what it called strong forces within the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sabotage against APC in the rerun election which was held in the state on Saturday.
The caucus, comprising federal lawmakers from Benue State and of various political parties at the National Assembly, said this while commending the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and the APC state chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, for the party’s success in the rerun election in Benue State on Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), conducted a rerun election to fill the vacant seat of the Guma 1 State Constituency at the Benue House of Assembly on Saturday, where about four candidates of various parties participated.
Declaring the result in Daudu, the Constituency headquarters, the returning officer, Prof Julius Ikya, announced the APC candidate, Mr Terwase Uche as the winner, having polled 5,289 votes, to defeat the PDP candidate, Hon. Geoffrey Jimin, who polled 4,134 votes, while the Labour Party (LP) candidate scored 2,833.
Addressing newsmen at the Secretariat of the caucus in Abuja, yesterday, its spokesperson, Hon. Philip Agbese, on behalf of the Caucus, congratulated the duo of Akume and the APC state chairman, Agada, for the unprecedented victory at the polls.
The caucus, which comprises federal lawmakers from Benue State and of various political parties at the National Assembly, also hailed INEC, security agencies and principal actors in the election for the peaceful conduct.
It attributed the success of the election to the sterling leadership of Akume and Agada in the state, which has made the victory of APC possible, despite the forces within and outside the APC, to sabotage the hard work of faithful party men.
“Against all odds, the rerun was peaceful. Against all odds, the APC candidate won; despite the strong forces within the party, collaborating with those outside the party to sabotage the labour of party faithful in the area.
“We were in receipt of credible intelligence about high tensioned forces within the party, which should have originally added efforts to support the labour of original APC men and women, led by our Member, Rt. Hon. Dickson Tarkighir; but rather, deployed the resources of the party and the collective patrimony of the people, to fight the people and sabotage their genuine labour.
“But for the timely guidance and congent leadership provided by the Leader of the Party, Senator George Akume and the State chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, the story would have been different. Now, Benue people have known the truth. The APC as a party has also seen the difference between genuine party men and those who were invited to come and eat.
“And in all these, too, we must acknowledge the levelled playing ground provided by the electoral umpire, INEC; the professional and civil manners the security agencies conducted themselves during the election and the level of cooperation from the participants and their agents.
“It spells good future for the state. It means future elections will toll this pattern of peace, freeness, fairness and credibility. Benue people have reached a higher stage of political awareness and this is a plus for us. The electorate too must be commended”, the Caucus added.
