Benue PDP Local Government Congresses Marred by Protests and Chaos
On Saturday, protests by aggrieved members of the Benue State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) brought the conduct of Local Government congresses to a grinding halt. The demonstrations were sparked by alleged alterations to the list of candidates and diversion of congress materials.
The controversy stemmed from the inconclusive ward congresses held in July, which have continued to cause tension within the party. A discrepancy was discovered between the list released by party officials in Makurdi and the original list collated at the ward level. This had been causing unrest among party members.
A tense atmosphere prevailed at the PDP secretariat in Makurdi, where a large contingent of security operatives were deployed to prevent any breakdown of law and order. Youth suspected to be political thugs were seen chanting solidarity songs at the secretariat, as distressed party stakeholders and members had kept vigil, awaiting the arrival of electoral officials from the national secretariat in Abuja.
The conduct of recent ward congresses has generated immense confusion and heat, following a string of suspensions and counter-suspensions of party members accused of engaging in anti-party activities.
A lengthy wait by party officials at the secretariat culminated in pandemonium breaking out when electoral officials finally arrived from Abuja. When officials attempted to distribute materials for the Local Government congresses, a physical confrontation ensued, with party members demanding access to the list of candidates for the congresses and results of the previous ward congresses.
In the ensuing chaos, protesting members chased the electoral officials out of the party secretariat, while AVM Napoleon Bali, the caretaker chairman of the party, and his committee fled the scene in a convoy, reportedly headed for an unknown destination.
