THE national vice-chairman central of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muazu Rijau, has expressed optimism that the party would capture Benue State during next year’s general elections.
Rijau gave the assurance yesterday during an interactive meeting with APC stakeholders in Makurdi. He stated that all that the party needed is to work hard and reclaim the state from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that has been struggling to find peace and reconcile its disagreements.
The erstwhile Commissioner for Works, Niger State disclosed that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) mandated him to go round the zone to encourage and feel the pulse of members ahead of 2023 general elections.
While assuring that the NWC would prevail on members who instituted court cases against the party to withdraw them in the interest of peace, Rijau said: “We are here on a mission on how to reclaim and retain our mandate in Benue. I want to commend the Benue APC for making the right choice of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia as the governorship candidate.”
The APC leader stated that with the calibre of political heavyweights in the party, there was no way Benue will not come back to party, stressing that the crisis within the PDP has made things very easy for them as opposition in the state.
Rijau maintained that the only thing expected from APC stakeholders in Benue State is a united front, even as he pleaded with aggrieved party members to look at the bigger picture.
Earlier in his remark, the State Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, stated that the party has already resolved to work hard to reclaim power and develop the state that is in a decrepit condition.
Checks by NaijaTimes reveal that no less than three governorship aspirants of the APC in the state are in court challenging the conduct of the nomination process in which Rev Fr. Alia emerged as flag bearer.
Among the aggrieved gubernatorial aspirants are former PDP, national chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, former Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa and Professor Terhemba Shija.
