Benue APC primaries were fair, former governor Suswam says in response to Udende.

Former Benue State governor Gabriel Torwua Suswam said on Thursday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections in Benue State are free from manipulation.

Suswam won the APC senatorial primary for Benue North East, Zone A, with 131,083 votes.

He defeated his nearest rival, incumbent senator Emmanuel Memga Udende, in a primary held across Katsina‑Ala, Logo, Ukum, Konshisha, Vandeikya, Kwande and Ushongo.

After his defeat, Udende alleged that the primary process had been manipulated.

Suswam countered that his victory reflected the support of his constituents rather than any electoral fraud.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Suswam noted: “A lot of us, when we lose elections, raise all kinds of issues. You create an exception by trying to divide the party in Benue along the line of the SGF who is our father here and the governor. Like I said, there was a comprehensive reconciliation that took place.”

He added: “Let me come back to the nomination process. Direct primaries are for those who are on the ground because they are conducted in every ward, and a candidate cannot be present in all the wards.”

“In my zone we have 84 wards and I could only go to my ward in my village and stay there,” he said.

“So for you to win direct primaries, you must be someone who is acceptable to the majority of your constituents. It’s unlikely that people who are not on the ground would say they were short‑changed; I don’t think anybody was short‑changed.”

“This thing took place simultaneously in all the wards. I wasn’t in all the wards; I was only in my ward out of the 84 that constitutes my constituency, so I didn’t know what was happening in other wards. So why would somebody now say that in all the 84 wards it was manipulated? Manipulated how?”

“There is no manipulation. Direct primaries clearly show that this is the person we want in the state because there is no election process in this country that does not come with complaints. People will complain.”