Benue Council polls: Senator Abba Moro rejects outcome, says it’s shameful, unacceptable

By David Odama

The senator representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro has strongly condemned and rejects the outcome of yesterday Local government elections purportedly conducted in Benue State describing it as a sham, insult to democracy and unacceptable.

Senator Moro in a statement by his media adviser, Emmanuel Eche’Ofun John, and made available to Journalists in makurdi on Sunday, said reports from polling units across his senatorial district showed that election did not hold in his senatorial zones claiming that election materials and officials of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) were not ground anywhere except in the premises of APC leaders where ballots were thumb-printed for their candidates.

The senator expresses disappointment in the governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for not standing by the truth as due process were not followed as promised during his electioneering campaign.

According to the former minister of Interior, Governor Alia was expected as a priest, to push for a paradigm shift by doing what is right, and not t Kk asking the state back to the era of doing things wrongly in the past.

“Democracy was fiercely fought for, with some people paying the supreme price, so anti-democratic forces should not be allowed to destroy the system”.

“Benue people are totally disappointed in the singler position of the. state governor who they have high regards for and hope to get the best from. It is unfortunate that the local government elections meant to serve as a test case for governor Alia has turn out worst than the experiences in the past, Senator Moro declared

The Senate Minority Leader however enjoined members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others who meant well for Benue state to remain calm as everything legally possible will be done to challenge the outcome of the elections in a court of competent jurisdiction and ensure that a free, fair and credible election that will afford the electorate the opportunity to choose their leaders at the local government level is conducted.

Meanwhile, the Chairmanship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Okpokwu local government area, Honourable Patience Ene Akor has unequivocally denounced the egregious failure of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the October 5th local government Council elections in Okpokwu.

With unbridled indignation, Akor accused the electoral body of deliberately refusing to provide essential materials, thereby disenfranchising the populace.

Akor, therefore, called for the intervention of the Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia to ensure that BSIEC reconduct elections in all polling units across Okpokwu’s 12 Council wards in compliance with the best practices.

“The very fabric of democracy has been undermined, as voters gathered in vain, only to be met with the absence of BSIEC officials”, she said with a voice of disappointment.

With unwavering resolve, Akor declared her refusal to accept any fabricated results allegedly produced by Basic stressing that genuine elections must take place.

She exhorted the Governor, a respected clergyman, to uphold the sacred principles of his office and resist the nefarious schemes of electoral fraudsters.

She, therefore, called on the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission to expeditiously Conduct elections in all polling units across Okpokwu Local Government Area and Ensure the sanctity of the electoral process, free from manipulation.

The Chairmanship Candidate enthused that the electoral umpire must uphold democratic principles by preventing disenfranchisement of the electorate.