The grassroot faction of the All Progressives Congress APC, Okpokwu Local Government Area chapter, has staged a peaceful protest to the Benue State Governor, Revd Fr Hyacinth Alia, and his Deputy, Dr. Sam Ode, over what they termed as imposition of Candidate for the Local Government Caretaker Chairmanship position.
The factional group has accused the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ann Itodo, the APC Chairman of Okpokwu LGA Hon. Ejeh Benedict Onyeke and former member of the House of Assembly, Okpokwu State Constituency, Hon. Francis Olofu Ogwuche, of collecting financial inducement to the tune Twenty One Million Naira (N21m), from Three different Aspirants, to shortlist them for the post.
While it was also alleged that the Commissioner collected N7m from the Proprietor of All Saints Science Secondary school, who doubles as the Proprietor of Iduh Memorial Secondary School, Mr. Inalegwu Adah of Okonobo Ward; same said amount was alleged to have been competitively collected from Hon. Joseph Attah, aka Joe Gentle of Ingle Okpale Ward by the LG APC party Chairman Hon. Ejeh Onyeke Benedict, while Hon. Olofu Ogwuche collected equal amount from one Douglas Omale of Ojigo Ward, just for each of them to be shortlisted for the position.
The protesters who were angered at the ugly situation, emphatically said, they were told that the money is to lubricate the account of the party’s leadership at the State level and since the legitimate Aspirants that have the masses and the party’s support, do not have such money to lobby any godfather, they have to loose out despite having the acumen to lead the LGA.
One of the Protesters, Robert Ameh from Ojigo Ward said: “imagine how they are killing the party in Benue because of money, so it’s now wrong to be loyal Party members, since money is what matters to the party leadership? Even Elders like former Senate President Ameh Ebute’s opinion couldn’t hold any water, so we want to know who are those receiving these monies because certainly, it couldn’t be Governor Alia or the SGF, this is bad, so bad”. He alarmed.
The Protesters called on Gov. Alia, the SGF, Senator Akume and the State Party leadership to correct this anomalies that are capable of disintegrating the APC in the State.
