The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has applauded the peaceful conduct of electorates across the state in the ongoing Local Government election.
Governor Ortom who joined the accreditation queue in the company of his wife, at Ako polling unit of Nzorov ward in Guma Local Government Area, blamed the exclusion of the Ahmed Makarfi led faction of the PDP from the ongoing election, on the party’s internal crisis.
The exclusion of the Makarfi led faction of the PDP, which the former Senate President, David Mark and Ex-governor Gabriel Suswam pitched tent with, has made the election less competitive for the ruling APC administration, as the recognized Ali Modu Sheriff faction presented only Six chairmanship candidates in the 20 local councils.
The Governor said: “I want to appreciate God for the wisdom and the cooperation of the Benue people to help us conduct this election today. As a law abiding citizen and as one who committed to the rule of law and due process for my state and country Nigeria I want to ensure that the Democratic structures in Benue State are very strong.
“This informed me and my council and the entire people of Benue State to conduct this election because we know that Local Government are the third tier of Government and just like we have Democratic process at the Federal level and at the state.
“The Local government too should have the opportunity to enjoy democracy, and this is what informed us to conduct this election though at a very difficult time that there is no money to pay salaries as and when due but because we want democracy at the local government level”.
“Maybe it will help instill sanity and discipline and make it more functional because here you are going to have the representatives of the people who are going to be elected at the council ward and them at the state level and I am excited and happy that the entire state is today very peaceful in conduction this election. This shows the commitment we have to ensure peace for our state and I am happy that we are conducting the election”.
The governor further noted that he is aware about the eight political parties contesting this election, stating that PDP is not an issue and their wrangling has nothing to do with the election.
“I am aware that about eight political parties are contesting this election so it does not matter. PDP is not an issue. Their internal wrangling has nothing to do with the election. And I am aware that PDP also fielded candidates in this election and is going on.
“So that is their own internal thing and that was why some of us had to leave the party because the party is not organized and I can see it standing anywhere. In any case whichever faction that fielded candidates we were ready to contend with it because we as a party, the All Progressives Congress is ready to face any opponent legitimately and by law. We have done our homework.
“We are the only political party that went out to campaign and seek for votes so why can’t the people vote for us. It is very clear. Which other political party came out to work the way we did. We launched our campaign in the three senatorial zones which I was personally there and again we went to all the local Governments and we went to all the wards. So we are sure of victory at the end of the day.”
