APC boycotts as poor turnout mars Benue LG polls

Uja Emmanuel, MakurdiThe All Progressives Congress (APC), Benue State chapter, boycotted the council election held in the state today. This is even as low turnout of voters marred the polls.A statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of APC, James Ornguga, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Friday stated that the party resolved to boycott the council polls because it has been programmed to favour the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates.In the statement, the APC said, we have received concerns from the media and the general public regarding APCs preparedness for tomorrows local government elections in Benue State.This is to inform the general public that the All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue State is not party to the kangaroo local government election which is already programmed to handpick and declare all PDP candidates.Our party was prepared for the election and submitted a list of validly nominated candidates but unfortunately, the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC acting the script of Benue State Government declared all APC candidates as not properly nominated hence, disqualified.The matter is still in court but we have been excluded and APC shall not feature on the ballot tomorrow for any position.We call on our teeming supporters not to waste their time going to vote tomorrow for the process is a mere formality, devoid of credibility.Read Also:Siblings battle over burial rites of mother in BenueWe also urge all APC candidates who were illegally disqualified not to express any regret as those who won chairmanship and councillorship elections in Benue since 2017 are still owed various shades of allowances till date.Our party is regrouping and strategizing for victory in 2023 and shall not be deterred by every ill- treatment accorded us this moment.Meanwhile, our correspondent observed low turnout of voters in most of the units visited. Also, in some of the polling units, some voters complained that electoral officials were nowhere to be found while in others, where there were electoral officials with materials; most of the voters did not turn out.Some voters in such units, who spoke to The Nation, alleged that even if they vote, their votes would not count, so they decided to boycott the polls altogether.However, Governor Samuel Ortom and John Ngbede of PDP cast their votes in their polling units in Agatu and Gbajimba towns respectively.Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) Chairman, Tersoo Loko, described the election as free and fair.In his reaction after casting his vote, Ortom expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election by the states electoral umpire and expressed optimism that his party, PDP, will win the elections.
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