Benue: Aspirants protest, as suspended Benue Catholic priest, Alia, wins APC guber ticket

The suspended Benue Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has clinched the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue state.

Rev. Father Alia picked the ticket of the party after defeating 11 other aspirants at the end of the direct primary election of the party held across the state on Friday, May 27.

From the results collated Saturday at the APC Secretariat by the Election Committee, the Priest polled a total of 526,807 votes to defeat his  closest rival, Dr. Mathias Byuan who polled 113,816 votes.

Former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Dr. Sam Ode who garnered 79,369 votes came third while former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Stephen Lawan polled 46,882 votes to come fourth.

Former Minister of Justice, Micheal Aondoakaa polled 24,596 votes, former Chief of Staff to Governor Samuel Ortom, Mr. Terwase Orbunde polled 12,446 votes and Prof. Terhemba Shija scored 10,487 votes.

Mr. Terlumun Ikya polled 3,680 votes while the member of the House Representative for Konshisha/Vandeikya Federal Constituency, Mr. Herman Hembe garnered 2,473 votes. Former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade garnered 2,365 votes, Mr. Godwin Tyoapine polled 1,228 votes while Bernard Yisa garnered 742 votes.

Protests

Meanwhile, some of the aspirants have registered their protests over the conduct of the exercise and the outcome of the process.

In a letter of protest to the national leadership of the APC, Prof Terhemba Shija rejected the outcome of the election describing the entire process as a sham.

Part of the letter read, “The direct primaries of the APC held on Friday 27, 2022, was to say the least a sham and an aberration of democracy.

“We reject and disassociate ourselves from the results of the exercise.” Vanguard