By SAM ADZEGEH, Makurdi –
Even as the controversy over the gubernatorial elections in the Benue All Progressives Congress (APC( shifts to the Federal High Court, a similar crisis is currently brewing in the state’s Labour Party (LP) and is likely to also end up in the law courts.
Here, Engr. Ben Akaakar is protesting the alleged emergence of Honourable Herman Hembe as the party’s flag bearer for the 2023 governorship of the State.
Hembe was declared winner with a total of 93 votes to Akaakar’s four votes in the primaries which took place in Makurdi on June 9.
One other aspirant, Mr. Jeff Kuraun, had withdrawn from the contest in protest over certain practices which he found intolerable.
Akaakar however told NATIONAL ACCORD earlier today in Makurdi that, in spite of similar misgivings, he had agreed to participate in the primaries.
He explained that as a loyal member of the Labour Party, he had opted to participate and later explore internal mechanisms of the party to resolve whatever grievances he may observe.
Speaking exclusively to NATIONAL ACCORD in his Makurdi residence, the oil engineer said what was passed on as the LP’s primaries that June 9 was a mere charade.
He claimed that his opponent had brought hundreds of thugs who had invaded the venue of the primaries.
According to him, Hembe had intimidated the presiding party officials and substituted the original delegates’ list with a totally different one.
“I noticed that the original delegates I had gone round to canvas votes from were not the ones brought in to vote,” he lamented.
“The original delegates were ordered out of the venue immediately my opponent arrived and a completely different list and delegates were brought in,” he further claimed.
“Efforts to even see the list was rebuffed”, he added.
“As I talk to you, they have refused to let me see the delegates’ list,” the obviously embittered aspirant stated.
Akaakar expressed dismay at the desperation being exhibited in Benue politics with the crude alienation of high profile politicians like himself who had good intentions towards the State.
He said he had earlier left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of similar underhand dealings and joined the LP as a fresh and alternate platform on which he hoped he could realize his ambition and contribute his quota towards the development of the State.
Akaakar explained that his choice of LP was because he found inspiration in Peter Obi, its Presidential flag bearer whose track record and developmental agenda he had been keenly following and totally believes in.
He however, appealed to his teeming supporters to remain calm as he is consulting widely to correct the injustice meted out to him.
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