By Amos Aar
THE Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, August 12, 2022 discretely submitted the name of former Minister of State for Nigeria Delta Affairs, Hon. Sam Ode, as the running mate to Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia in the 2023 governorship contest.
A highly placed source at the APC national secretariat in Abuja familiar with the intense politicking surrounding the choice of a running mate to the Catholic priest told National Record Monday evening that contrary to rumours making the rounds that the placeholder, Hon. Shima Vembe, from Tarka LGA being confirmed as the running mate, Ode’s name had been filed at INEC last Friday.
Another source at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) corroborated the filing of Ode’s name but said the name is yet to be uploaded on the website of the electoral umpire.
Coincidentally, the social media in Benue State had been agog with speculations since last Friday that the Benue State chapter of the APC had settled for a Tiv-Tiv governorship ticket having failed to replace Hon. Vembe with an Idoma candidate as Alia’s running mate prior to the deadline for the replacement of candidates, said to be August 12.
Our source at the APC national secretariat, when told of the speculation and asked if there was any truth, said: “There is nothing like placeholder again. Three weeks ago, before Senator Akume travelled, he and the placeholder went to the State Chairman of the APC, Comrade Austin Agada, they wrote a letter that Sam Ode is the running mate and the placeholder should be withdrawn.
“In Abuja, they went to court and the placeholder did an affidavit and wrote a letter that he was withdrawing and Sam Ode did an affidavit that he was the one coming in. The national secretariat signed, the Chairman signed and they gave a letter which the Electoral Act stipulates that only the party Chairman and the Secretary must sign and they all signed.”
Our source also revealed that Rev. Fr Alia, Hon Ode and other APC chieftains from the state were last week at the APC national secretariat where the submission of Ode was formalised after weeks of conversation between the party’s national and state officials.
“The APC in Abuja told them (Alia, Ode and other stakeholders) when they were at the secretariat on the 11th [last Thursday] that the party was going to take final decision on the matter. So before the August 12th deadline, the state and national leaderships of the party met and took a decision.
“By the time they were making noise at the secretariat, the placeholder was not there because he had gone to Court to withdraw his name.
“They have put behind the issue of running mate now, they are at the stage of forming the campaign Council,” the source told National Record.
Some stakeholders in Zone C unhappy
National Record gathered that some stakeholders in Zone C who are aware of the submission of Ode’s name are not comfortable with the choice. Our findings indicate that the grouse arose from the feeling that being ignored in the selection process of the running mate.
These stakeholders are insisting that the Alia/Ode ticket will not sell because of the feeling that Sam Ode, who hails from Otukpo LGA was rather imposed on Idoma by the leader of the party in the state, Sen. George Akume, who is alleged to be maternally related to him.
Ode’s choice is also said to be a violation of the zoning formula in Idoma where it is believed the position of deputy governor ought to now rotate to Apa/Agatu from Otukpo where the incumbent deputy governor, Engr Benson Abounu, hails from.
While those opposing Ode’s candidacy are said to be aware of his experience, credentials and political capital, having been tested and found capable in many positions, the Zone C stakeholders are arguing that Ode is capitalising on his blood link to usurp the position, a situation they argue does not augur well for Idoma political unity.
However, those who are in support of the Alia/Ode combination are of the opinion that the ticket will sell, taking into cognisance the 2019 gubernatorial election when the entire Zone C (Benue South), with the exception of Agatu LGA, voted massively for the Jime/Ode ticket under the APC against Ortom/Abounu PDP ticket before a supplementary election in which Ortom defeated Jime because of the dominant population of the Tiv speaking area where the supplementary election held.
Ode’s supporters therefore strongly believe that the Alia/Ode ticket will be successful despite the misgivings by a sizeable number of people from Benue South.
