By Mercy Aikoye
A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun, has alleged widespread irregularities in the party’s governorship primary, insisting that he emerged victorious in areas where voting genuinely took place.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Kuraun accused members of the party’s appeal committee of failing to make themselves available to receive his petition after the exercise.
According to him, his representatives waited at the APC national secretariat from morning until late at night without gaining access to the committee members.
“On the 22nd, by 9am, I prepared to file an appeal because of the irregularities and we approached them, but they were not available where they were supposed to be,” he said.
“We remained at the secretariat until 11pm and were advised to return the next day. Our people got there by 5am the following morning because we suspected foul play.”
Kuraun further alleged that his representatives were later chased away from the secretariat by some youths who denied them access.
The aspirant maintained that he was the only contestant who fully complied with party procedures by submitting a list of ward agents across the state’s 276 wards.
“I submitted a list of representatives for all the 276 wards and the list was duly acknowledged. I have evidence showing it was received,” he stated.
He challenged other aspirants to provide proof that they also submitted acknowledged lists of agents.
Kuraun said his supporters were mobilised across the state and documented activities at polling centres through videos and photographs transmitted to a central situation room.
“Our people were visibly on ground. They wore tags and sent videos and pictures from different locations,” he added.
The APC chieftain accused some government appointees of hijacking electoral materials and manipulating results in favour of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
He cited Mbaava Council Ward in Konshisha Local Government Area, where he alleged that a result sheet credited him with zero votes despite evidence showing his supporters gathered at the venue.
“I saw a result sheet circulated by an appointee of the governor showing zero votes against my name, zero for another aspirant, and 1,580 votes for the governor,” he alleged.
“Our ward agents had already sent videos from that ward showing people queuing and counting themselves because materials did not arrive.”
Kuraun insisted that elections did not hold in many parts of the state and argued that only results from areas where voting genuinely took place should be upheld.
“Everywhere they counted, Dr. Jeff Kuraun won overwhelmingly and I have evidence to present,” he said.
Responding to questions on possible legal action, the governorship aspirant expressed confidence that the APC leadership would address his grievances fairly.
“One of the purposes of this press conference is to bring this matter to the attention of the National Chairman. He clearly stated that winners would only be announced after appeals are considered,” he said.
“I trust that within the available time, our appeal will be considered and I will be invited to present my evidence.”
Kuraun, however, ruled out leaving the APC despite the controversy surrounding the primary.
“I am a supporter of President Bola Tinubu and I will continue to stand with the APC. I have no reason to move to another party,” he declared.
Speaking further on the conduct of the exercise, Kuraun alleged that he personally witnessed irregularities in parts of Vandeikya and Mbatyough Ward, where materials allegedly failed to arrive and political appointees reportedly took over the process from party officials.
“When I got to Mbatyough, there were no queues. People were just sitting like in a market square,” he said.
“I confronted an appointee of the governor and asked him what he was writing because no voting was taking place. I also questioned the police officer there over why such a situation was allowed.”
He further claimed that he and several of his supporters were disenfranchised during the primary.
“There was no voting in my ward. I did not cast my vote and many others were also disenfranchised,” he alleged.
