‘Those seeking to divide Benue APC will fail’

In Benue State, preparations for the 2019 governorship contest are already in top gear as stakeholders in the state’s political field are said to be deploying strategies to take advantage of expected alignments of forces to remain relevant.

Although the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of Governor Samuel Ortom is yet to mark the second year anniversary of a four-year tenure, there are insinuations that some members of the party are creating a division within the platform.

Sources disclosed that a new arrowhead in the person of former governor, Senator George Akume, has emerged as the rallying point of internal opposition against Ortom as the leader of the party in the state.

But in a swift reaction, the State Chairman of the party, Abba Yaro, debunked allegations that the party is divided saying, “any attempt to cause disunity within the party will fail in the hands of promoters of such agenda.”

The APC boss in an interview with The Guardian said it is not correct that some staunch members of the party, with eyes on the 2019 contest, are ganging up with Akume against the incumbent.

He said, “I think it is not true even as one can not run away from that. But, even if such is happening, at the end of the day they will fail. This is because the relationship between Senator Akume and Governor Ortom are cordial and both of them are grassroots mobilizers. I am convinced that the relationship between them is unbreakable and is very cordial. So, if any group is ganging up, it means they are just making jest of themselves. So let any one think of any gang up. I assure you that by 2019 we are still going to win as a team. We are working ahead now towards 2019 and I assure you that by that time we are going to recapture the seat overwhelmingly.”

And to avoid anti-party activities that could lead to weakening of the APC platform, the Chairman said the party had to suspend some members who were found wanting in maintaining the unity of the party.

His words: “Yes, it is true that we suspended some of our members and the reason was that they refused to honor the party’s constitution and again, acted contrary to rule and regulations of the party. Their suspension is constitutional. According to Article 21 section 2 and 10 of the party’s “ constitution, “ any anti party activity or any conduct which is likely to embarrass or have adverse effect on the party or bring the party into hatred, contempt or disrepute, the party has powers to discipline such members and the powers shall be exercised by the executive committee are all levels.

“And section 10 says filing an action in the court of law against party or any officer on any matter relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting all avenues for redress as provided in the party’s constitution, attracts disciplinary action. But, the suspended members violated all the above sections of the APC constitution.”

Speaking on the relationship between the state government and the leadership of the party, Yaro said, that too is very cordial because since the party won the 2015 election, there has never been any issue that could cause disaffection between the two.

According to him, “as a party we do not have any problem with the government we put in power at all. It is our government and we do not have problem with it. Whatever the governor who is leading the government does, he tells me that this is what they want to do. We are always rubbing minds together. Even when there is need to disagree we disagree but in the end we work together.

“The same understanding is replicated at the council level and I can assure you that all of them are paying their tributes to the party secretariat. Ortom as a leader of the government if he is paying homage to the party no one can do otherwise.”

On why the state has not conducted local council election, Yaro put the blame on paucity of funds saying, “for now we don’t have money but as soon as the economy improves, we are going to conduct the local government polls and I assure you that when we conduct the election, our party will win. What the PDP did during former governor Gabriel Suswam, we are not going to do that but we must ensure that the election will be free and fair.”