APC Primaries: Benue Aspirants Reject Consensus Option, Zoning

Some  State House of Assembly, senatorial, and House of Representatives aspirants under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State have rejected the consensus and zoning arrangements adopted by party stakeholders ahead of the primaries.

Some aspirants vowed to purchase nomination forms and participate in direct primaries, insisting that party members—not leaders or influential individuals—should determine their fate.

Findings indicate that the zoning and consensus processes, which began across state and federal constituencies, have triggered open disagreements among aspirants and their supporters.

The rejection of these arrangements is now threatening the process, which was introduced to reduce the intensity of direct primaries and promote party unity.

One State House of Assembly aspirant from the Benue North West senatorial zone, who requested anonymity, told LEADERSHIP that he would not withdraw from the race due to consensus or zoning.

“I will go into direct primaries to test my popularity. A few people cannot decide my fate. The zoning and consensus decisions in many places were skewed to favour certain aspirants, and this could affect the party’s unity if not properly addressed by the state APC leadership,” he said.

In several local government areas across Benue State, the ongoing and concluded zoning and consensus exercises have generated political tension and controversy.

In a related development, the APC in Vandeikya Local Government Area, the home LGA of Governor Hyacinth Alia, has suspended five of the governor’s appointees from the party indefinitely.

The party said the suspension followed acts of misconduct allegedly displayed by the appointees during the zoning exercise.

In a statement issued by the APC Vandeikya LGA Publicity Secretary, Apaa Tindim, it was stated: “The APC Central Executive Committee (Exco), stakeholders, and ward chairmen across the twelve council wards in Vandeikya Local Government Area convened an emergency meeting, where they unanimously resolved to suspend the following appointees from participating in party activities within Vandeikya LGA.”

The statement further explained that during the zoning exercise attended by party leaders and stakeholders, “The Kyan State Constituency was zoned to Lower Kyan, specifically Tsambe, where Hon. Terna Shimawua emerged as the consensus candidate.

“Similarly, in Tiev State Constituency, zoning was allocated to Lower Tiev, particularly Township Ward, where two candidates, Hon. Dr. Mathew Damkor and Hon. Audu Pius Tarkighir, were presented.”

The party alleged that the suspended appointees failed to comply with directives issued during the zoning process and instead resorted to harassing and insulting party stakeholders publicly during the exercise in Tiev Constituency, Vandeikya LGA.

Meanwhile, Governor Alia had recently cautioned aspirants against invoking his name for political advantage, stressing that he has not endorsed any candidate.

“As a product of the people’s choice myself, I am not the one to decide anyone’s electoral fate. The people are there to decide and make their choices. I am not making choices for anyone. If you want to contest elections, go out there and talk to your people, convince them to choose you. That is democracy,” the governor said.