Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State governor Samuel Ortom has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State is at war with itself and every other stakeholder in the electoral process.
The governor, who stated this in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, on Thursday posited that the opposition party was always either raining insults on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or heaping invectives on political opponents.
“The desperation displayed by leaders of APC in Benue State in the build-up to the supplementary election is despicable but quite understandable as their defeat is inevitable and certain. They now sound like a loose cannon ready to assault anyone in sight.
Ortom wondered why a political party which initially hailed INEC’s decision to declare the March 9, 2019, governorship election inconclusive was now no longer showing interest in the supplementary election and instead of calling for the cancellation of results in some local government areas where the polls were certified by INEC as free, fair and credible.
“If any political party is to answer questions relating to rigging and other electoral offences, APC is that party. On the day of the governorship election, the EFCC announced that it had arrested a man believed to be a personal driver to the APC governorship candidate, Emmanuel Jime, in whose possession were found millions of naira apparently meant for vote buying.
He added that the latest media outing of the APC seemed more like the party was not sure of its chances in the coming supplementary election and was looking to a reason to boycott the polls.
“It is contradictory and unreasonable for the party to state that Governor Ortom who maintains an unassailable lead of 81,554 would want to disrupt the supplementary election.
“We advise APC to stick to the campaign of issues and refrain from their current bazaar of insults on opponents.
“It is also honourable to accept defeat in good faith as power comes from God who gives it to whoever He wills through the people,” he said.