Few days to the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Benue state has called on security agencies to check the activities of the Benue State Livestock Guards and other illegal security outfits in the State and disarm them.
The party made this call in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting of stakeholders of the APC in Makurdi the state capital.
The communiqué signed by the state APC campaign secretary, Prof. Eugene Aliegba stated that the APC had convened an emergency meeting, presided over by the Leader of the Party in the State and Vice-Chairman, North, for the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Senator George Akume, to re-strategize and plan ahead for the Saturday polls.
The meeting commended the APC family in the State and supporters for their confidence in the party as expressed through the hard work put in for the party to achieve victory in the postponed elections.
The party however expressed disappointment over the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the reasons advanced and hoped that the reoccurring pattern of elections postponement will stop.
The party observed with dismay the organized/calculated efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State to use violence to achieve electoral success.
They said the desperation of the PDP was shown by the deployment of arms and open presence of armed militia and the Benue State Livestock Guards all over the State.
According to them, “the situation has led to violent attack on the member of the House of Representatives for Makurdi-Guma Federal Constituency, Dickson Tarkighir and the assassination of the APC Chairman for Ohimini LGA, Boniface Okloho in the early hours of Saturday 16th February, 2019.”
The APC decried the fact that despite the deployment of security for conduct of the elections, the presence of armed militia and armed Livestock Guards still remained visible all over the State.
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The meeting therefore resolved that “the Security agencies should check the activities of the Benue State Livestock Guards and other illegal security outfits in the State, and recover arms from them, and their activities restricted since they have no role in the electoral process.
They also resolve that “INEC should publish a list of its duly accredited observers to enable security agencies identify fake groups/persons posing as observers.
“Members of the APC are also encouraged to sustain efforts so that the party can achieve higher margin of victory next Saturday at the Presidential and National Assembly elections, and subsequently, at the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
The party therefore advised its members to remain calm and vigilant, and to report all suspicious activities to constituted authorities.
They also appealed to all relevant security agencies involved in the elections to step up vigilance and control of the security of the State before, during and after the elections.
