Benue APC: No LG Party Primaries Was Conducted – Gov. Alia Says

…Says, people should ignore Agbese’s mischief

The Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia, who is also the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, has declared that the Party did not and has not conducted any Local Government and Ward Primaries anywhere in the State.

Governor Alia, who stated this while reacting to a statement by Mr. Philip Agbese in which he appreciated the Governor and former state chairman of the APC in Benue State for conducting Local Government and Ward congresses to nominate candidates for the forthcoming Local Government elections in the state, said the statement was nothing but a fabrication and imagination of the author.

He said that Agbese is known for fabricating and promoting falsehood thus, urged every genuine and responsible citizen of the State to ignore him.

Alia in a statement by Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, stressed that the caretaker committee of the APC for Benue State, which was set up and inaugurated by the Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee, is yet to commence the sale of nomination and declaration of interest forms for aspirants.

The Governor therefore said that there was no way any primaries would have been conducted, stressing that as the leader of the APC in Benue State, he presided over the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting that ratified the suspension of the former state chairman of the party, Mr. Austin Agada, by the APC in Ehaji Ward of Ogbadibo Local Government Area.

In the words of Governor Alia; “Therefore, there is no way he will collaborate with the erstwhile member of the party for any official function of the party.

“Mr. Philip Agbese is known for insulting, casting and aspersions on His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and denigrating the office of the Governor of Benue State.

The statement further said that Governor Alia is firmly focused and already delivering on his mandate, keeping to the exact terms of the social contract he made with the people before his election as Governor.

“He cannot be distracted by joining issues with the likes of Philip Agbese, his sponsors and co-travellers.

“The public is urged to disregard such false and mischievous statements and devious opinions,” the statement said.