After 17 Years, Benue Pensioners Elect New Leaders 

The Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, after 17 years of leadership tussle, has put itself together during its quadrennial delegate conference to elect new officials to steer the union’s affairs in the next four years.

This is even as the pensioners zonal vice president North Central Comrade Asen Sambe, while declaring the event open, commended Benue pensioners for putting behind them all the crises that crippled the union in the last 17 years and conducting an election for the second time to elect leaders that will oversee the union’s affairs in the next four years, describing the election as free, fair and credible.

Our correspondent reports that the election, which was held in Makurdi, the state capital, saw Comrade Mike Vembeh, the immediate past chairman of the union, win and retain his position.

Comrade Vembeh, who contested with four others for the chairmanship position, received 38 votes to defeat his opponents, who received 9, 3, 1, and zero votes, respectively.

Other positions contested are vice chairman and treasurer. For the vice chairman position, Michael Agada pulled 40 votes to defeat his opponents Akor Stephen and Victor Charles, who got 9 and 1 votes, respectively. Obaike Magaji won the treasurer position with 46 votes against his opponent, Michael Bokyaa, who got seven votes.

After the election, Comrade Sambe urged the new EXCO to ensure that all members were included in the scheme of things. He also advised those who contested and lost to bring their ideas to the table and support the new leadership for the development of the union.

Announcing Vembeh as the winner of the election, the representative of the pensioners, Secretary General Actor Zar, who was represented by Bumi Ogunkolade, said he was overwhelmed by the peaceful and organised manner in which Benue pensioners conducted themselves before and during the election and urged them to maintain the tempo even after the election and remain as one family.

In his acceptance speech, the newly elected chairman Comrade Vembeh, who commended the delegates for finding him worthy to lead them in the next four years, said he was overwhelmed by the show of love and support by the pensioners, saying he and his exco will not betray the confidence reposed in them.

Comrade Vembeh also expressed gratitude to Governor Hyacinth Alia for caring about the plight of pensioners and promised that all pensioners would continue to rally around the governor to succeed.