The Benue State Executive Council has appealed to people of the state to avoid any act that will prevent the Saturday Presidential election from holding.
Briefing newsmen after the executive council meeting in Makurdi, on Tuesday, commissioner for information, Joseph Shimaor said the council was aware of some elements in the state who want to disrupt the election so that they will use the opportunity to rig.
The council therefore appealed to the people to conduct themselves peacefully during and after both the Presidential and Governorship elections holding Saturday, February 16 and March 2, respectively.
“The decision of the executive council was to ensure a peaceful, credible free and fairly elections in the state,” he added.
Shimaor said the council also directed the ministry for agriculture to develop modalities for distribution of the tractors acquired by the state government for farming.
He noted that this was to enable the farmers use the tractors for this coming cropping season.
“The exco also directed the ministry of agriculture to develop modalities to distribute the tractors before this cropping season so that they can use them for a better yield.
In a related development, Governor Samuel Ortom swore in Mr Tsenongo Abancha as Special Adviser at the executive council chambers of the Benue Peoples House, (Government House).
He is yet to be assigned a portfolio.
Abancha earlier served as Adviser to the Benue State governor on Bureau for Rural Development, but was indicted by the Justice Kpojime commission set up by the Ortom’s administration to investigate funds of the state.
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Abancha however, was asked to resign and refund a particular amount of money which he did.
He was therefore reinstated by the governor as a special adviser, after he had cleared himself.
Before his swearing in, the executive council unanimously lifted his indictment by the Kpojime Commission of Inquiry after the Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Mr Michael Gusa, presented a memo requesting that the indictment be lifted.
Receipts of payment of N19 million for which Mr Abancha had been indicted were attached to the memo.
Precedent had been set when the executive council lifted the indictment of San Carlos which paid over N300 million for which it had been indicted by the commission.
