The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State on Wednesday distributed sensitive materials for the conduct of Ward and Local Government Congresses across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
The materials for the exercise were distributed under heavy security and strict supervision by the national officials of the party deployed to the state by the APC national secretariat led by its Chairman, Dr Awalu Ishiye, for the conduct of the exercise.
Speaking to journalists during the exercise, Dr Ishiye disclosed that prior to the exercise, the committee had carried out a documentary screening of all forms submitted by aspirants, including Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms and expressed optimism that the general exercise, which is a non-elective congress, would be hitch-free.
Dr Ishiye explained that the exercise would be held in all the 276 wards of the state, as the party, he noted, has put in place modalities that would ensure a free and fair exercise.
He further urged people of the state to be peaceful in their conduct during the congresses.
The State Chairman of the party, Benjamin Omale, said the party was indeed on course and pledged that the congresses would be held according to the guidelines issued by the National Working Committee (NWC).
Omale implored people at the grassroots to be orderly and disciplined and to work in synergy with the national committee to achieve a huge success.
He said Governor Hyacinth Alia has provided enough security in the 23 local government areas of the state to see that the exercise was crisis-free.
Also speaking, the State Organising Secretary of the party, Mr James Ornguga, said, “We expect a hitch-free congress. We had thought that it (the election) would be heated, but we only have one set of aspirants to a position, so the competition would not be as stiff as we were expecting”.
Ornguga noted that the party (APC) permits three modes in electing party officials, either as party executives or during primaries. We have direct, where every party member lines up; indirect, where delegates are used; and the consensus. The rule is that where consensus is achieved, the people are expected to give a voice vote.
He explained that “each local government has 27 executives, then the state has 36, so as they are going to elect excos today, they will also elect 5 delegates who are going to serve as the state delegates in the state congress and then in another set of 5 who will serve as the local government delegate who will participate in the Saturday’s Congress that we are doing to have Local Government executives”.
The Organising Secretary expressed optimism that the congresses would be peaceful across the state.
