Benue APC Aspirants Reject Consensus, Zoning Ahead Of Primaries

Many State House of Assembly, senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state have kicked against the consensus and zoning arrangements decided by the stakeholders in their areas ahead of the party’s primaries.

Some of them vowed to pick the party’s nomination forms and go into direct primaries for party members to decide their faith rather than APC leaders, stakeholders or individuals.

Our correspondent gathered that the zoning and consensus processes which began across the state and federal constituencies have witnessed open disagreements among aspirants and their supporters.

The rejection of the consensus and zoning outcome by some aspirants is threatening the exercise that was being adopted to reduce the vigorous of direct primary elections and the party’s unity.

One of the State House of Assembly aspirants from Benue North West senatorial zone who pleaded anonymity told LEADERSHIP that he would not back out of race over consensus and zoning, “I will go into direct primaries to test my popularity. Few people cannot decide my faith. The zoning and consensus decisions in many places were skewed to favour some certain aspirants and it will affect the party’s unity if not properly addressed by the state APC leadership”

In some local government areas across Benue State, the ongoing and concluded zoning and consensus generated political heat and reportedly inclusive.

Also, Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia’s Vandeikya local government has suspended five of the governor’s appointees from the party until further notice.

The APC claimed that the decision to suspend them followed their acts of misconduct exhibited during the zoning exercise.

In a statement issued by the APC Vandeikya LGA Publicity Secretary, Apaa Tindim, 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 said the zoning exercise attended by several 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 observed that the affected 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

Though, Governor Hyacinth Alia, had recently warned aspirants to stop dropping his name, emphasising that he had not anointed or endorsed any candidate for any position whatsoever.

“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 stated.