The National Assembly Caucus of Benue State has accused what it termed as strong internal forces within the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sabotage during the rerun election held in the state on Saturday. The caucus, comprised of federal lawmakers from Benue State representing various political parties, made this statement while commending the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and the APC state chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, for the party’s success in the rerun election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the rerun election to fill the vacant seat of the Guma 1 State Constituency at the Benue House of Assembly, where candidates from different parties participated. The returning officer, Prof Julius Ikya, declared the APC candidate, Mr Terwase Uche, as the winner with 5,289 votes, defeating the PDP candidate, Hon. Geoffrey Jimin, who polled 4,134 votes, while the Labour Party (LP) candidate scored 2,833.
Speaking at the caucus’s Secretariat in Abuja, Hon. Philip Agbese, the spokesperson for the caucus, congratulated Akume and the APC state chairman, Agada, for the unprecedented victory. The caucus praised INEC, security agencies, and other key participants for ensuring peaceful conduct during the election.
Agbese attributed the success of the election to the leadership of Akume and Agada, despite internal and external forces attempting to sabotage the efforts of faithful party members. He mentioned credible intelligence about internal tensions within the party collaborating with external forces to undermine the hard work of loyal party members.
The caucus acknowledged the timely guidance and leadership provided by Akume and Agada, highlighting the difference between genuine party members and those invited to join. It also commended the level playing ground provided by INEC, the professional conduct of security agencies, and the cooperation of participants and their agents, signaling a positive future for elections in the state. The caucus emphasized the heightened political awareness among Benue people, considering it a positive development for the state.
