Attah Ede Makurdi
A political group under the aegies of Good Governance Advocacy Benue Forum has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Benue State to pick the deputy governorship candidate of the party from Apa/Agatu axis of the
Benue South senatorial District.
The group maintained that the call became necessary for the purpose of fairness, justice and equity, stressing that Apa/Agatu remains the only federal constituency from zone C yet to produce a Deputy Governor.
The national coordinator of the group, Comrade Terrence Odeh Ogaba in a statement on Tuesday, said all people of goodwill especially the Benue community and particularly All Progressives Congress (APC) must tilt towards selecting a competent deputy governorship candidate from the Apa/Agatu extraction if the party must win the 2023 Governorship election in theState.
Comrade Ogaba explained that in the past, Prince Ogiri Ajene – Oju/Obi was the Deputy Governor to former governor George Akume from 1999 – 2007, while Chief Ochagwu Steven Lawani from Ogbadibo/Okpokwu/Ado was a deputy to Senator Gabriel Suswam.
“Presently Engr. Benson Abonu from Old Otukpo is deputy to governor Samuel Ortom.
“This leaves out Apa/Agatu in Zone C and it will be only appropriate for the APC to do justice on the matter”, the statement read.
He noted that the Good Governance Advocacy Benue Forum with membership across political,professional and business class is committed to lending its voice to the renaissance the Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia’s popular choice by the APC presents for a better Benue in 2023.
“The APC will get it right by selecting a suitable and competent deputy from the right section, to ensure victory, since the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has failed the people in delivering good governance.
“Even at that the PDP has chosen its Deputy Governorship Candidate from Apa/Agatu for strategic reasons and APC should not contemplate otherwise in order to win resoundingly.
“We, therefore, urge the leadership of APC in the state led by His Excellency George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Chief Young Alhaji, Austin Agada, APC State Chairman Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia the APC Governorship candidate as well as other party elders and stakeholders to select a Deputy
Governorship candidate from Apa/Agatu with competent and experienced party loyalist and faithful like Hon. Yusuf Sulaiman Elaigwu and others.
“Finally, we express our belief in the ability of the APC stakeholders to manage the Affairsof the party effectively, to ensure victory in 2023”.
