Groups and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ushongo and Kwande Local Government Areas of Benue State on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in Lessel, the headquarters of Ushongo LGA, calling on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to respect the outcome of the House of Representatives primary election for the constituency.
New Telegraph reports that Prof. Kohol Iornem was declared the winner of the APC Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency primary election held on May 16, polling 40,672 votes to defeat five other aspirants, including the incumbent lawmaker, Rep. Terseer Ugbor, who polled 750 votes.
The demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Give Us Back Our Mandate. Reps Is for Ushongo,” “We Didn’t Vote for Terseer Ugbor, We Voted for Prof. Kohol,” “Tinubu, Save Our Democracy,” “We Can’t Vote for One Person and Another Is Announced,” “Direct Primaries? Indirect Primaries? Consensus? How Did Terseer Ugbor Emerge?” “20 Years of Reps in Kwande Is Unfair,” and “Ushongo Deserves It This Time.”
The protesters expressed concern over reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination forms had been submitted in the name of the incumbent, Rep. Ugbor, whom they insisted they did not elect.
Led by prominent APC members, including Comrade Ken Kaase, Hon. Aondolumun Ordorugh, and Hon. Fidelis of Mbakuha, the protesters insisted that the outcome of the party’s May 16 primary election must be upheld.
They warned that any action contrary to the votes cast by party members would undermine the democratic principles on which the APC is founded.
The protesters urged the APC leadership to protect the integrity of its internal democratic processes and ensure that the votes of party members during the primaries are respected.
According to them, the will of party members should not be disregarded, particularly in a constituency where, they argued, the House of Representatives seat has remained in Kwande for too long while Ushongo has not produced a representative for 16 years.
They warned that imposing a candidate against the wishes of party members could create disaffection, weaken party unity and diminish the APC’s electoral strength in the constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
