From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial electoral panel for Benue State has assured all aspirants and members of the party that it would conduct a transparent, credible, free and fair primary to elect the governorship candidate to fly the flag of the party in the 2023 general election.

Chairman, Benue State APC gubernatorial electoral panel, Dr. Peter Ojie, made the promise while addressing newsmen at the Party’s Secretariat in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Friday.

Ojie who is the leader of the 5-man gubernatorial panel disclosed that the panel had on Thursday, held a stakeholders meeting with governorship aspirants in the state.

“In the course of the briefing, we had to assure and reassure all aspirants of a level playing field. We are here already to set up a collation center. I am here in full compliment of the five member panel and we are working closely with the leadership of the party in the state.”

The panel Chairman explained further that all materials for the exercise have been released and taken to all the wards for the elections to take place even as he stated that all aspirants have been told to provide accredited agents in all the wards to monitor the exercise.

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“As you are well aware, the method of the governorship primary Benue State by the directive of the party leadership is direct primary which means that every member of the party has an opportunity to vote for aspirants of their own choice.

“We have told aspirants that they should have accredited agents in all wards of the state. The agents will be there while the voting are being done. Method of voting is by option A4.

“We have the ward reporting sheet and the local government reporting sheet that have been given to the returning officers who have gone to the wards. Thereafter, the summary of local government reporting sheet will be made. When that is made, we will now collate everything at the collation point after which we will now have to do what the law requires us to do.

“This is supposed to be a special congress and we will proceed to Aper Aku Stadium where party members will be gathered and we will report what has come from the wards and thereafter, we will conclude our job.

“So, essentially, we want to assure you that this panel is dedicated and committed to ensuring that we run a very transparent system and will conduct a free and fair primary for the purpose of choosing the flag bearer for the APC,” Ojie said.