Benue APC crisis: Agada faction nominates candidates for council poll

The crisis rocking the Benue state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State is deepening by the day as the Mr. Austin Agada-led executive committee has nominated 23 Chairmanship and 276 councillorship candidates for the forthcoming Local Government election scheduled for October 5th in the state.

The Agada-led executive committee backed by the Secretary to the government of the federation, Sen George Akume was sacked by Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje led the national working committee (NWC) of the party last week.

In defiance of a Benue state High court order procured by Agada to stop his removal from office, Ganduje subsequently inaugurated a 7 member Caretaker committee led by Mr. Benjamin Omale to run the affairs of the party in the state.

Relying on the court order that okayed his continuous stay in office, the Agada-led executive committee conducted primaries on Saturday in all the wards headquarters across the 23 local government areas of the state to pick the candidates for the poll.

Agada in a statement made available to the Guardian on Monday in Abuja explained that the primary election was conducted through consensus/affirmations in most local governments and council wards

Speaking on the development, Hon. Samuel Atsuku, who participated in the primary election in Tarka Local Government, attributed the success of the party’s primary election, largely to the commitment of stakeholders of the party in the Local Government Area.

Atsuku thanked the people, particularly the party faithful for conducting themselves peacefully.

He congratulated the chairmanship candidate of Tarka Local Government, Hon. Koryave Isaac Aondaver, and all councilorship candidates who emerged from the nomination exercise.

In Katsina-Ala Local Government Area Hon. Simon Aluor, who also took part in the primaries, said that APC has shown good example in orderliness and peace, he thanked party faithful for the trust in the APC.

In Gboko, the primaries ended on a peaceful note as Hon. Basil Yina emerged as the party flag bearer in the forthcoming local government election.

In Otukpo, the party faithful in the area voted in affirmation of their preferred Chairmanship aspirant, Oleho Augustine, Party men trouped out in their numbers and queued behind the chairmanship candidate to affirm their support for his candidature.

Speaking shortly after the exercise, the APC Party Chairman of Guma Local Government Hon. Lazarus Asema, described the process as peaceful and lauded the leadership of the APC in the state for effective leadership and proper organization.

In their separate interactions with the media, Hon. Abua Yaji and Hon. Fidelis Audu expressed their satisfaction with the process and commended stakeholders in the Local Governments for the successful primary election.

The exercise, however, had the following as Chairmanship candidates:

Hon. Elias Arugwu Ogbu for Ado, Hon Egnr Tarkaa Solomon N for Konshisha, Hon. Chia Bernard Terna, Vandeikya, Barr. Atom Phillip, Kwande, Hon, Andrew Ocheme, Ogbadibo, Hon. Ogbole Mathew Ebere, Obi , Barr. Napoleon Otache for Agatu, Hon Elias Arugwu Ogbu, Ado, Hon. Eje John Elvis for Apa, Hon. Washima Tersoo Haris, Katsina-Ala, Hon. Ajeh Godwin Ogah, Ohimini, Hon. Akombo Stephen for Logo, Hon Terver Agwaza for Ukum, Hon Benjamin Atoza, Gwer, Hon. Denise China Gwer-west, Hon Vincent Zaatsa Apera, Guma, Hon. James Gbamwuan Agudu Buruku, Hon Tyopaase Benjamin, Ushongo, Mrs. Ene Ameh JP, Okpokwu, Hon. Jonathan Shimgbe, Makurdi and Hon. Jackson Udama for Oju.