Alia Orders Cancellation of Guma Constituency Primary Bye-election

•We already have a candidate, says party chair

George Okoh in Makurdi

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has ordered the suspension of the delegates congress for the bye-election into Guma 1 State Constituency of the state.

Alia gave the order at a press conference at the Old Banquet Hall of the Government House, Makurdi, on Saturday.

He said the exercise was marred by irregularities as unknown people came to the venue to hijack the process.

He said youths in the area had become emotional, which could lead to a breakdown of law and order, hence his decision to order the suspension of the congress.

According to the governor, peace was returning to Guma LGA, which had been a flashpoint of violence in the state and there was every need to suspend the congress to arrest a descent to anarchy.

He added that it was his prerogative to maintain peace in the state as the situation had become imperative to suspend the congress that had caused so much tension in the state.

He ordered security agencies in the state to maintain law and order to avoid security breaches, the governor who was flanked at the briefing by top security heads in the state, assured the people that the national leadership of the party would do everything to maintain peace in the party.

“The security of the state remain paramount to all of us. This day was the day the APC was to conduct Delegate primaries for the Guma 1 Constituency bye-election, but unfortunately, it was marred by misconduct and this was posing some threats and insecurity in the local government area.

“In the last six months, the state has experienced relative peace and efforts are being made by security agencies to maintain that peace and I wouldn’t want all the efforts we have put in place to be in vain. I wouldn’t want anything that would trigger insecurity at any corner, not just in Guma local government, but the entire state.

“This is why it has become very important that I suspend the delegate primaries that is expected to take place in Guma local government today,” the governor explained.

He regretted that the party faithful who came out to make their choice were stopped at the gate of the Avine Agbom Hotel in Daudu, by some politicians who are not even from the local government, but came only to hijack the process.

Meanwhile before the governor’s briefing, the Professor Kabiru Ibrahim-led bye election committee had declared Honourable Peter Uche winner of the primary. He defeated his only rival, Hon. Maurice Orwough.

Guma 1 State Constituency seat in the State House of Assembly was declared vacant following the resignation of Dr. Yamar Ortese, who was appointed a commissioner.

The election to fill the vacant position is expected to be conducted next month, hence, the primary election was to choose the candidate of the party.

In the election conducted under tight security, Uche polled a total number of 25 votes to defeat Orwough who polled only three votes.

Announcing the result at the Avine Agbum Hotel in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area, which also served as the collation centre for the primary election, Kabiru, stated that “the election was not only free, fair and credible but represented the wishes of APC members in Guma 1 State Constituency”.

Also the Benue state working committee of the APC has congratulated Terwase on his victory at Saturday’s primary election.

A statement signed by Daniel Ihomun, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, quoted the State Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, as “commending APC members in Guma for a peaceful primary election”,  while thanking “them for their show of maturity during the primary election”.