By Amos Aar
THE CRISIS rocking the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to cause confusion among the electorate those aspiring for positions in the forthcoming local government elections in the state, as the leadership of the Benjamin Omakolo’s faction has disclaimed the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms announced by the Austin Agada-led faction.
In a statement by Comrade Dan-Morgan Ihomun, the publicity secretary of the Agada faction, an ad-hoc zoning committee had been inaugurated on Monday to zone positions in the impending local government elections in the state with a mandate to carry out a thorough job and make sure that the party’s stakeholders are included in the zoning process in each zone of the state.
The statement noted that following the inauguration of the zoning committee, the State Working Committee (SWC) had began the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms to aspirants.
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It states that expression of interest form for LG chairmanship goes for N100,000, while nomination form N250,000.
For councillorship, expression of interest form is being sold for N50, 000, while nomination form goes for N100,000.
All forms are free for women for both positions.
According to Ihomun, members of the committee inaugurated by the factional Legal Officer of the party, Mathew Alyebo, include:
ZONE A
Col. Edwin Jando (chairman); Chief Mrs Helen Atom (member/secretary); Hon. John Atedze (member); Dr. John Tor Tsuwa (member); Hon. Henry Hemba (member); Hon. Solomon Atii (member); and Hon. Abraham Atotse (member)
ZONE B
Rt. Hon. Terhemba Chabo (chairman); (Engr. Emmanuel manger (member); Elder Julius Ukpanya (member); Hon. Patrick Mamadu (member); Dr Kaalu Akerkpev (member); Alh Ahmed Baba (member); and Hon. Stephen Tyochir (member/secretary.
ZONE C
Prof. John Enyi (chairman); Rt. Hon Ralph Igbago (member); Hon. Mrs Ene Ibenu Nelson (member); Hon. Godwin Oliwe (member); Rt. Hon Moses Oduh (member); Hon. Ochai Onazi (member); and Amb Phillip Eche (member/secretary).
A disclaimer
But in a counter statement to the sale of forms and the constitution of the zoning committee by the Agada faction, Mr James Ornguga, who addressed himself as ‘Original Organising Secretary’, urged aspirants to “beware of diaspora yahoo arrangements”.
Ornguga’s statement reads in part: “APC members in Benue are hereby advised to disregard any notice concerning local government elections emanating from one Daniel Ihomun. All election correspondences as usual will come from the Original Organizing Secretary who is empowered by the party’s constitution to coordinate all election activities.
“Do not be a victim of their Abuja Yahoo Yahoo arrangements cooked in a foreign wine bar, away from the state to hoodwink unsuspecting party members.
“The party cannot begin sale of forms without the due approval of the State Executive Committee and His Excellency, Gov. Hyacinth Alia who is the State Leader of the party therefore, all guidelines regarding the forthcoming elections would be originally unveiled at the appropriate time.
“Anyone who pays money into any account made available by the Benue APC diaspora group does so at their personal risk”.
