Arch. Asema Achado, the member representing Benue State’s Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, has stated that Governor Hyacinth Alia “was busy in closed-door prayers” with his officials, while his preferred candidate for the Guma 1 State Constituency primary election was soundly defeated.
Arch. Achado, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, encouraged Alia in November 2023, via an open letter, to devote time to attending to official duties and government activities, rather than spending office hours allocated for administration business for prayers.
Also in December, while the Benue APC National Assembly Caucus briefed the press in Abuja on how Fr. Alia was running the affairs of the state like a parish, Arch. Achado reiterated his comment on how top government functionaries, critical stakeholders, and party leaders would drive to Government House, Makurdi, to discuss issues of state importance with Alia, only to be told that the Governor would be unavailable because he would be engaged in m
Hon. Achado criticized Governor Alia on his personal Facebook page Saturday evening for failing to provide the party’s Guma 1 State Assembly candidate and attempted to annul the procedure after it was already completed and the Electoral Committee had long arrived Abuja with the results.
“I love my Governor, hence my advice to him two months ago, to sleep/pray in the night and work in the day”, Achado posted on Facebook.
He added,
“the nationwide House of Assembly primary election was scheduled to hold today by 8 am. In Benue State, it started about 9 am and ended about 10 am.
“Our prayerful Governor was locked up in prayers with his officials till noon. The APC electoral officials conducted the primary election and left, while our prayerful Governor was praying or sleeping.
“How do you suspend a process which has been concluded? A process you have no control over. Haba”.
It would be recalled that the Guma 1 State Constituency seat in the State House of Assembly was declared vacant following the resignation of Dr. Yamar Ortese who was appointed a commissioner.
An election to fill the vacant position is expected to be conducted next month, hence, the primary election to pick the party’s candidate.
In the election conducted under heavy security on Saturday by the Prof. Kabiru Ibrahim-led 2024 APC Bye-election primaries committee, Hon. Uche Peter Terwase defeated his only rival, Hon. Maurice Orwough.
Uche, who is said to have the backing of Hon. Dickson Tarkighir of Guma/Makurdi Federal Constituency, polled a total number of 25 votes to defeat Governor Alia’s annointed candidate, Hon. Orwough who polled only three votes.
Announcing the result at the Avine Agbum Hotel in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area, which also served as the collation Centre for the primary election, Prof. Kabiru, Chairman of Primary Election Committee stated that “the election was not only free, fair and credible but represented the wishes of APC members in Guma 1 State Constituency”.
But in a twist of event, Governor Alia declared that he was cancelling the election.
He said the election was marred by security breaches and irregularities.
Meanwhile, the state working Committee of the APC has congratulated Hon. Terwase on his “well deserved victory” at the polls.
A statement signed by Daniel Ihomun, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, quoted the State Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, as “commending APC members in Guma for a peaceful primary election,” while thanking “them for their show of maturity during the primary election”.