PRESS RELEASE (6th November, 2014) UGBAH WRITES TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF BENUE STATE OVER COURT ACTION The Good people of Benue State, I greet you all. However, before I go on, I wish to state that I remain a loyal member of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). So no one should be in doubt about my loyalty to the party, but at the same time, no one should be in doubt about my resolve to insist on my rights or that our party be run like our party; and not anyone’s private estate. As a result of happenings in the last couple of days, particularly as it relates to our quest to effect democratic change in our Dear State, Come 2015, I find it necessary to intimate you of why I took the decision of going to court on Friday, being the 5th day of November, 2014. One, the court action was premised on the need to enforce my constitutionally guaranteed right to vote for anybody of my choice, and likewise be voted for. Two, it is to stop those who, for some strange reason (s), are opposed to change and all agents of change, and who, although they have neither the constitutional power nor the moral authority, are hell-bent on holding our state down in the valley of stagnation. It is sad that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), also harbours some of these anti-progress and anti-change agents we love to denounce in other parties. My fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, please do take particular note of the following: One: On the day I arrived Makurdi from Abuja a couple of weeks back, the party EXCO hurriedly evacuated the party secretariat; this way, I was prevented from going there to pay a courtesy call on my party! Second: After making the necessary payments, in keeping with its promise to frustrate me, the State APC refused to sell to me the Nomination Form on 25TH November, 2014. I had to travel to Abuja all-night to buy the form at the National Secretariat of our party the following day i.e. 26TH November, 2014. Third: Even before I was screened in Ilorin, the party started circulating rumours in the state here that I had been disqualified. In the end, however, I was successfully screened. Fourth: A day to the primaries, the State APC Chairman, Abba Yaro, held a press conference in Makurdi here, which he said, on account of a phantom zoning arrangement, and which was probably agreed upon in fantasy-land, the State APC had barred me from contesting in the party primaries, slated for 4th November, 2014, but later rescheduled (most strangely) for 5th November, 2014. (you may wish to see National Mirror and New Telegraph editions of 4th November, 2014 for details). Abba Yaro boasted at the conference that even though I had bought the Nomination Form, and had been duly screened and cleared, I was “on my own.” I have been reliably informed that this threw you, my supporters, into confusion and panic. And to make matters worse, I was denied access to the Delegates’ List. Fifth: From reports reaching my team, we gathered that my name would not be on the ballot; and that armed thugs would prevent my agents and I from entering the venue of the primaries. Having being a target of violent attacks in the past at the hands of the rival PDP, I was taken aback that my party would also plan to visit me with violence. Sixth: As it were, I was left with no choice than to seek legal redress. Seventh: When the court bailiffs tried to serve the State APC Chairman, Abba Yaro, and the State EXCO, both parties evaded service, and purported to go on with the primaries, only to stop the farce at midnight or thereabouts when the hopes of a pre-planned outcome were dashed. Funny enough, I am told the same EXCO that ignored the court injunction at noon relied on it at mid-night to save itself from embarrassment. Eighth: You already know it, but I wish to reiterate for reasons of emphasis that there is no zoning arrangement in Benue APC; that at no time has the governorship position of our party been zoned to any area; that if there should be zoning, it should be in favour of Zone C (i.e. Idoma people which has never produced a state governor before); and not MINDA, which is not a zone, but rather a DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION in the likes of KUDA, JEDA, IDA, TDA…! In a nutshell, therefore, I went to court to enforce my right as a bona fide citizen of this country and worthy son of Benue whose dream is to bring positive to Benue state – no more; no less. And I urge you to remain resolute with me on this daring dream. For this task of rescuing Benue, our Dear Benue, our only state, we are ready to suffer many things: delays, privation, humiliation, insults, character assassination etc, etc, but we want it on record that: WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER OUR NOBLE QUEST FOR A DEMOCRATIC CHANGE, COME 2015. CHANGE MUST COME TO BENUE. I urge you to keep faith with our cause. I will keep in touch with you as developments unfold. Together, we can do it: yes; we can. Thank you all. Long Live, APC Long Live, Benue State. Prof. Steve Torkuma
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 11:29:26 +0000
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