Following alleged irregularities and sharp practices said to have characterised Saturday primaries, aggrieved aspirants of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, have called for immediate cancellation of the national and state assembly primary election of the party in Benue State.
The aggrieved members are led by Senator Joseph Akaagerger.
The aspirants alleged the snatching of electoral materials by hired thugs, violence, vote buying and predetermined choice of successful candidates before the conduct of the primaries.
Addressing journalists in Makurdi, the aspirants also alleged criminal manipulation of election result in all the 277 wards in Benue.
Akaagerger who is contesting to represent the Benue North East Senatorial District, said parallel executive of the party were created in four local governments without following the party’s constitution.
He alleged too that all returning officers posted to the seven local government areas in Benue North East District, including Katsina Ala, Kwande, Konshisha, Vandeikya, Ukum, Logo and Ushongo, consisting of 84 wards after collection of election materials all left to Senator Barnabas Gemade’s House in Gboko and handed over result sheets to him.
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The Next Edition, however, could not confirm the claim.
“Election results are possibly coming out from that house. In Benue North-West, in some local governments where elections never held results were recorded in favour of candidates loyal to Chief Gemade.
“Consequently, we pray for immediate cancellation of the purported primaries conducted on 29th September, 2018 because they are a charade and a sham.
“The national secretariat should devise a credible free and fair mode to conduct fresh primary that would win the confidence of all aspirants and party supporters,'” he added.
