The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Benue State, with the immensity of victories by the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Benue State, culminating in Saturday, March 11, 2023 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections in the state, is cracking with massive decamping ceremonies in the state, even as notable sons and daughters of Benue North-East Senatorial District, where the former Senate President of Nigeria, Sen. David Mark, comes from, have received some big wigs in the APC.
The bigwigs are from different political parties, including a former Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sule Audu, from the PDP, and Rt. Hon. Joseph Ojobo, the Senatorial Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), who was a two-time Member of the State Assembly.
Others who have decamped in the zone are Hon. Peter Ochijele, former Commissioner in the state from the PDP, House of Representatives Candidate for Apa/Agatu State Assembly, of the Labour Party, Hon. Malvin Ejeh, and Hon. Dennis Abutu, former Members of the Benue State House of Assembly for Apa/Agatu State Assembly, as well as Chief Hon. Attah Ogbu, the State Chairman of Action Alliance (AA) in the state, and Hon. Solomon Danjuma, former Chairman of Apa local government council
As of the time of writing this report, very high-profile politicians in Benue State are in an advanced stage of negotiations to dump the sinking party (PDP) for the APC.
The decamping ceremony also featured the presence of over two thousand supporters of the decampees at RCM Primary School, Otukpo, during a Zonal Mega Rally organized by the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the three senatorial districts, beginning with the Benue North-East, also known as Zone C.
Addressing the stakeholders who thronged in with their supporters, the Governorship Candidate of the party, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, said that given that Nigeria is going to experience a renewed hope for electing the former Governor of Lagos State, Sen. Ahmed Tinubu, as President-Elect of Nigeria and himself as the next Governor of the State, teachers and pensioners in the state, as well as the deplorable state of governance, would get a fair share of “Real Time Development” across the 23 local government areas of the state
He said he is aspiring to serve as a servant for the people, to better their lives, and called on them to say no to those who are bent on destroying the state, through the ballot papers, on March 11, 2023.
Fr. Alia disclosed that “all of us in Benue are stakeholders, and what we are looking for is development, good education, a good healthcare system, and happiness.” The last lapse of elections in the state, he said, should be taken seriously by all and sundry.
“If you didn’t do well for the people and they voted you out, just go quietly and shut up”. We must say no to those who are bent on destroying the state. Come and tell the people of Benue what you have to do and why they should vote for you”.
“I’m standing here to tell you that Benue State is in a deplorable state, and we must come out en masse this Saturday to enthrone a new leadership that would better the lives of the people, without fear of molestation. If anyone messes up with your votes, I know that the gods of the land will make him mad. As an agrarian state, I will bring agriculture to the people of Zone C”, he said.
The State Chairman of the party, Comr. Austin Agada, while receiving the decampees, assured them of equal treatment and called on them to work towards the victory of the party for the March 11 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections, to elect Fr. Alia and the Assembly Candidates of the party for the dethronement of the current administration, led by Governor Samuel Ortom, who have performed far below expectations.
In their separate remarks, the former Deputy Governor in the State and Governorship Candidate of the party, Chief Steven Lawani, as well as the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Dr. Sam Ode, called on people of the Zone to vote for Fr. Alia to reclaim the lost glory of the State, for the emancipation of the Zone, in the area of rural roads, and for the development of the Idoma Nation as a whole.
Responding on behalf of the decampees, the former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, from the Benue PDP, Rt. Hon. Audu Sule, said it was appropriate for them to dump their respective political parties and join the yearnings of the Benue people for the change mantra, and he assured Fr. Alia of their total support for the victory of APC in Zone, especially his governorship election, without mincing words, to bring the required development to the state and to the suffering pensioners across the 23 local government areas of the state.
DONALD KUMUN,
Deputy Director of Communications (Public Affairs), Alia/Ode 2023 Governorship Campaign Organization, Benue State
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