Election 2019: FG should not send military to Benue for polls

Election 2019: FG should not send military to Benue for polls - Governor Ortom

- Governor Samuel Ortom has warned the federal government against deploying the military to the state for the governorship election

- The governor said there are plots to use the military to disrupt the elections in the state

- Governor Ortom noted that the Nigerian military has no role in casting or counting of votes

Governor Samuel Ortom has warned the federal government against deploying the military to the state for the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, March 9.

In a statement to Legit.ng on Sunday, March 3 by his spokesman, Terver Akase, the governor said there are plots to use the military to disrupt the elections in the state.

Governor Ortom noted that the Nigerian military has no role in casting or counting of votes, warning that the people of the state will resist any attempt to disenfranchise them.

Part of the statement read: “It has become necessary to alert Nigerians, particularly Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, as well as local and international observers on plans hatched by the All Progressives Congress, APC to rig the March 9, 2019 governorship and state Assembly elections in Benue state.

“Credible information indicates that defeated Senator George Akume who is leader of APC in Benue state told his supporters during an exclusive meeting that he has requested for military personnel from the federal government to enable the party rig the coming elections in its favour.

“Part of the plot, we understand, is to use the military to disrupt the elections, chase away voters in areas considered to be strongholds of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and allow hitch-free rigging by APC.”

The governor said APC chieftains have been boasting, and believe that the federal government will send security operatives to help them subvert the electoral process to favour their party.

Governor Ortom further said the party has concluded plans to carry out massive thumb printing of ballot papers and altering of results for APC candidates in Benue state.

His words: “A few days ago, the defeated senator led APC youths on a rampage within Makurdi and caused the destruction of PDP campaign billboards and posters. The illegal outing also disrupted traffic within the state capital for many hours.

“While he was at it, Akume granted an interview to Channels Television in which he boasted again that his party will use security men in addition to hired thugs to rig the March 9 polls. He made it clear that they will use violence to intimidate people during the elections to have their way.

“We find it necessary to draw the attention of security forces and other stakeholders to these threats by APC so that urgent preventive measures can be taken to guarantee free and fair conduct of the elections.

“We urge the federal government to remember that Benue is part of the federation called Nigeria, and the people of the state deserve to be given equal protection to vote candidates of their choice in a peaceful atmosphere not a militarized one, as the APC is planning to do.

“We urge the presidency to resist the temptation to send soldiers to Senator George Akume to enable APC rig elections in Benue state. Such a decision will not only be anti-democratic but also unconstitutional.

“The Nigerian military has no role in casting or counting of votes; therefore, any attempt to use them to manipulate the coming governorship and state Assembly elections in favour of APC in Benue state will be resisted.

“We demand a level playing field in the coming elections. We urge INEC to be neutral and fair to all parties. Anything short of this will be unacceptable!”

Meanwhile, senator-elect for Benue North East senatorial district, Dr Gabriel Suswam has urged defeated Senator Akume to learn to be a good loser in the interest of peace.

Dr Suswam, a former governor of the state, stated this in a chat with journalists in Abuja over the weekend.

He condemned Senator Akume's action of mobilizing and leading thugs in the name of celebrating President Muhammadu Buhari's victory to destroy PDP campaign billboards and the looting of property that followed the rampage in Makurdi, the state capital.

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