APC candidate, Rev. Hyacinth Alia Speaks On Picking His Running Mate

Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia

Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue State, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia has finally reacted to news making rounds that he already picked his running mate for the 2023 election.

This is coming amid speculations that he had picked a former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Dr. Sam Ode as his running mate.

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Reacting to the news through his Head of Media and Publicity, Kula Tersoo he said,

 “Parties don’t pick a deputy for the candidate. It is the candidate that picks his deputy.

 Rev. Fr. Alia is yet to pick and announce his deputy. Once he does that, he will communicate to the public.”

“The position of Deputy Governor has been zoned by the party to Benue South Senatorial District but high-wire political scheming among contestants and party stakeholders have not permitted an early selection.

"This necessitated the appointment of Isaac Gbihi Vembeh as a placeholder running mate”.

“That appointment, according to a statement issued by Daniel Ihomun, Publicity Secretary, APC, Benue State, was to “allow Alia continue his wider consultation with Leaders of the party, Stakeholders and groups, so as to carry everybody along in the selection process.

"The nominee is submitted to fulfil INEC requirements and beat the deadline for submission of Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates as required by the Electoral Act.

 Candidates and political parties, however, have up till August, 2022 to make substitutions and replacements where necessary.”

It could be recalled that Evadoosh blog had earlier reported that some zone c elders within the party in a joint press release had rejected the proposal of Sam Ode as running mate from the zone and threatened to dump the party should that happened.

 

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Apart from Rev. Alia distancing self from the news of picking a deputy,  the APC elders from the zone led by  Sen Ameh Ebute have also issued a rebuttal to a story published online by The Nation news media “purporting the nomination of Dr. Sam Ode as the running mate to the governorship candidate of APC in Benue State.

The zone C elders that issued a rebuttal in a joint press release are, Sen Ameh Ebute , Chief Ameh Udoh,  Prince Obande ,  General Lawrence Onoja,  Chief Stephen Lawani,  Alhaji Usman Abubakar,  Chief Audu Ogbeh,  General Chris Garuba,  Engr. Morgan Okwoche,  Omoi and others.

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“The news credited the purported nomination to a recommendation from the APC elders council referred to as ‘Committee of Wise Men’.

Led by former Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute, the 14 elders debunked the existence of a properly constituted Benue South Elders Council of the party which had earlier been dissolved by the current state leadership of the party.

They insisted in a statement that “no elder of the party met under any committee of Wise Men or APC Elders’ Council to do any discussion on the choice of running mate to the APC governorship candidate on 21st July, 2022, as claimed in the news.

“That the purported nomination of Dr. Sam Ode as contained in the news is a deliberate attempt by mischief makers to cause tension and disharmony in the party in order to undermine our victory in the coming election.”

The Stakeholders from Benue South Senatorial District has called on the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to intervene in the matter.

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“They based their request for intervention by higher authorities on the need to stop attempts by some powerful leaders of the party in the state at denying Zone C the opportunity to recommend a candidate of their choice.

They claim that rather than allow Zone C to decide on a candidate, attempts were being made, using Barrister John Ochoga, Senator Jack Tilley-Gyado and Chief Simon Shango (the latter two are Tiv by tribe) to impose a former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Sam Ode, whose mother is of the Tiv lineage as the governorship candidate and State Leader of the party, Senator George Akume.

“Moreover, Ode hails from the same Local Government Area as the incumbent Deputy Governor.”

Inspite of the controversy,  EvaDoosh blog was informed that the APC governorship candidate, Reverend Hyacinth Alia was on his way to INEC's office Abuja to submit the name he has picked as running mate and consequently receive his certificate of return at the time of filling this report.

We will keep you updated...