APC Distributes Materials for Benue NASS Primaries, Promises a Credible Process

By Peter Duru

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly Primary Election Committee for Benue State has handed out election materials to Returning Officers responsible for the House of Representatives primaries in all 23 local government areas (LGAs) of the state, affirming its commitment to a transparent, fair, and credible process.

During the distribution in Makurdi, the committee’s chairman, Alhaji Sabiu Mahuta, emphasized that the APC was ready to conduct peaceful primaries despite earlier delays caused by logistical and security issues.

“We were here yesterday and we told you of our resolve and preparedness to come and conduct this primary election in this state for the APC,” Mahuta said.

“We promised that we would be here as early as 6:30, 7:00 or 8:00. For issues related to logistics and other security arrangements, we could not come as we promised. But here we are still, though a bit late, but certainly better because we have become more prepared, more organized and more committed.”

He reiterated the committee’s dedication to ensuring transparent and credible primaries across the state.

“We want the situation to be peaceful as we have been preaching and assuring yesterday. We maintain our words and we want to reiterate that we are here to ensure transparent, fair, credible and by the grace of God, acceptable primary elections for the APC in this state,” he stated.

Mahuta explained that voting would be based on the certified APC membership register for all wards, and that only registered party members would be eligible to vote.

“The election is going to be for all the registered members of the All Progressives Congress. We are going to use the register of the certified members of APC for each ward to do accreditation for anybody who will vote in this primary election,” he said.

He also disclosed that result sheets would be issued for each ward and local government, and that these sheets must be signed by agents of all contestants before submission.

“For other locations where we have contestants, local government returning officers, I want to emphasize that you must have all the agents for each of the contestants sign the result sheets and make it public and authentic before we accept it,” Mahuta said.

The committee chairman further outlined conditions for consensus arrangements, insisting that all candidates must submit written letters confirming their withdrawal and agreement to any consensus.

“Before we do affirmation for every seat, we must have a written consensus agreement by all the contestants. That is one of the conditions,” he added.

Mahuta warned Returning Officers against actions that could undermine the credibility of the exercise, urging them to remain impartial. “Returning officers, yes, you may be party members, but we don’t expect you to be partisan. Every candidate, every contestant is a member of APC and must be treated fairly and equally,” he warned.

He cautioned that “We are not going to tolerate anybody who is coming with anything that would tempt or destroy the credibility of this election.”

The committee will reconvene after the exercise to collate results and officially announce the winners.

Benue State Chairman of the APC, Benjamin Omale, also spoke, assuring party members that adequate measures had been put in place to guarantee peaceful and transparent primaries across the state.

Omale dismissed concerns over the late distribution of election materials, stressing that the priority was a smooth process. “The most important thing is to ensure that everything is put in order to ensure a smooth exercise,” he said.

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