APC elders demand fresh congresses in Benue

Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue State have petitioned the party’s appeal panel to conduct fresh congresses in 12 council wards in the area.

The elders, in a petition signed by about 22 of them including affected wards representatives such as Abaya Pius Sarku, Barr T. Yogbo and Hingah Biam, complained about the alleged failure of the party to conduct ward congresses in 12 of the 14 council wards in Gwer-East LGA on August 1, 2021.

Part of the petition reads: “In the 12 council wards in respect of which this complaint is made, congresses were not held but rather false returns were made purporting that certain predetermined individuals had been duly elected into the executive councils of the party at that level of the party hierarchy.

“However, congresses were duly held in two council wards and returns appropriately and duly made. The council wards in which the congresses were duly held are Akpachayi and Mbabur. The 12 council wards in which the congresses were never held are Mbayom, Mbaiase/Mbakine, Aliade/ Mbalav, Ikyonov, Mbakyaan, Ikyogbajir, Ugee, Ikwe, Mbalom, Gbemacha, Shough and Mbasombo.

“Therefore, we make bold to assert that our participation in the elections to come would ultimately result in an exercise in futility if we cannot hold simple in-house selection processes to select officers to manage our party’s affairs and candidates to fly the party’s flag in the general elections.

“Unless and except we hold free and fair ward and other levels of congresses, our participation in the general elections are doomed to failure. We say no more!”