Benue: I ceased to be APC member since May 26 – Hembe, LP gov candidate

Governorship candidate of Labour Party for Benue State, Herman Hembe has said that he had ceased to be a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) since May 26, 2022.
Hembe, is currently a third term federal lawmaker representing Konshisha/ Vandeikya constituency of Benue State.
The federal lawmaker made his defection to Labour Party in a statement over the weekend.
Hembe said that as a frontline governorship aspirant for the state under APC, he had prepared so well for the challenge and was ready to go to the field to slug it out with other contestants under a free and fair primary.
He explained further that “unfortunately, it became apparent that some stakeholders in the party were bent on achieving predetermined outcomes for all elective positions.
“Upon this realisation, I gave notice to the party, through my counsel of my withdrawal from the gubernatorial primary of the APC. The notice was served on the party on the morning of 26th May 2022, several hours before it purportedly changed the mode of election from indirect to direct primaries.
“I followed up my notice of withdrawal from the race with notice of resignation of APC membership which was served on the APC Chairman of Mbake Ward, Konshisha Local Government. As at the time the perfidy being referred to as APC party primaries took place, I was neither an aspirant nor member of the party.”
He explained further that “other than intentional mischief therefore, there is no basis for the handlers of APC in Benue State to continue fielding my name as a participant in their party activities. In the most ridiculous fashion imaginable, they allocated votes to me as it suited them in the shambolic exercise of 29th May, as well as the second episode termed “rerun” of 9th June 2022.
Hembe revealed that after withdrawal of both his candidacy and membership of APC, he joined Labour Party to continue the search for a platform to offer himself as a viable alternative to the Benue people.
He said this quest was rewarded with resounding victory when he emerged victorious as the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party at a free and fair primary conducted by the party in Makurdi on June 9 2022.
“I consider it malicious and intentional mischief that the APC keeps listing my name as a participant in their perfidious exercises. This press statement is intended to bring the APC’s mischief to the attention of the public; and to dissociate myself from the party and its purported activities. In addition to this press statement, I have instructed my solicitors to initiate legal action against the APC for their persistent and malicious falsehood against me.”
“While the APC continues to wriggle in the mortal spasms of self-inflicted wounds, we in Labour Party have commenced the process of mobilising Benue people to chart a new course for our collective destiny. I am proud and honoured to be the arrowhead of this new beginning. And my message to Benue people is simple: faint not, help is on the way.”