Father Hyacinth Alia Now Authentic APC Flag Bearer In Benue

By Adimanyi Gabriel

Catholic Priest Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia yesterday, emerged governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State by the re-run electoral committee of the primaries having polled the highest number of votes in the remaining 12 local government areas in addition to what he scored in the 11 Local areas earlier admitted by the court.

The re-run primary election followed a directive of the Appeal Court, Makurdi Division that the APC conduct fresh elections in 137 wards of 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in a judgement in favour of one of the governorship aspirants, Prof Terhemba Shija.

Declaring Rev Fr Alia as winner of the election, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Basheer Lado said Alia polled 410,682 votes to beat his closet rival, Barr Sam Ode, who polled 22,319

Senator Lado explained that the total number of registered voters of the party for the election in the 23 LGAs of the state was 868,010.

In a breakdown of votes by each of the aspirants in the 23 LGAs of the state, the Committee chairman announced that Dr Mathias Ibuan polled 14,593 votes; Architect Bernard Yisa, 581 votes; Senator Barnabas Gemade, 5,125 votes; Terlumun Ikya, 2,851 votes with Barr Sam Ode polling 22,319 votes respectively.
According to senator Basheer Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia got 410,682 votes; Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), 3,815 votes; Godwin Tyoachimin, 1,139.votes; Steven Lawani, 21,172 votes; Prof Terhemba Shija, 2,217 votes; Mlanga, 219 votes; Terwase Orbunde, 1,391 votes, while Herman
Hembe polled 638 votes.

He said”With this document before me, I hereby declare Rev Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia who scored a total number of 410,682 votes; having scored the highest number of votes as the winner of this election.”

Shortly after the declaration of the results during which the State chapter of the party held a Special Congress in line with the custom of the party to affirm the candidacy of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as duly elected to fly the party’s flag in next month’s election state chairman of the party, Austin Agada during the session moved for ratification of the winner of the election as candidate Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia by saying that ” those in support that Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia be returned as the governorship candidate of APC in the state, say ‘aye’and the move was greeted with a resounding ‘aye’, during which Agada said in view of the acceptance of Alia “I hereby ratify Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as the candidate of the party.”

Addressing Party supporters shortly after affirmation of Father Alia as candidate, Agada said, the APC has come out as a party united to deliver Benue from untold hardship, insisting that the belief of APC was that as a party, it must be united and put its house together, because it was the last hope of the people of the state.

He stated that the election of Alia by members of the party is an indication that God has spoken and because he has been chosen to lead the people, APC was bound to be victorious at the polls.

Chairman of the Appeal Panel, Umar Kolo said the Appeal Panel would commence sitting by 12 noon on Friday to entertain complaints from aspirants that were not satisfied with the outcome of the election.

Meanwhile, apart from releasing the results for the 23 LGAs of the state, the Committee also released the results for re-run in the 11 LGAs.

During the re-run election, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia polled, 219,002 votes; Architect Bernard Yisa, 136 votes; Sam Ode, 255 votes; Mathia Ibuan, 4,797 votes; Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, 606 votes and Senator Barnabas Gemade, 450 votes.

Others are Herman Hembe, 688 votes; Terwase Orbunde, 2 votes; Steven Lawani, 120 votes; Mlanga, 766 votes; Terhemba Shija, 219 votes and Godwin Tyoachimin, 454 votes respectively.