Sen Gemade Accuses Gov Suswam Of Rigging At The PDP Congress.

FORMER National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator representing Benue North-East, Chief Barnabas Gemade, has petitioned the Ad-hoc Delegates’ Electoral Committee members in charge of Benue State, alleging manipulation of the party congress by Governor Gabriel Suswam.

  Gemade accused the governor of conniving with some executive members of the Benue State chapter of the PDP to manipulate the exercise.  

  He wants the results of the delegates’ election in Benue North-East senatorial district, purportedly conducted by Governor Suswam’s allies, to be cancelled.

  In a protest letter titled: “Petition Against Undemocratic Practices at the PDP Ward Congresses in the Seven (7) Local Government Areas of Benue North-East Senatorial District,” Gemade said the instructions given by the electoral committee during a meeting with stakeholders and PDP local government returning officers, before the distribution of electoral materials, were flouted by the returning officers.

  The returning officers, he said, were acting a script allegedly prepared for them by Governor Suswam.

  According to him, some state Executive Committee Members of the PDP, including Hon. Ibrahim Anor, State Vice Chairman; Hon. Bem Dzoho, State Secretary; Hon. Moses Audu, State Organising Secretary; Barr. Tera Mue, State Legal Adviser; Hon. Abraham Nyikwagh, State Auditor and Hon. Moses Anaana, State Youth Leader, allegedly connived with the returning officers posted to their respective local government areas. 

  Thus, they diverted the election materials to unknown destinations except in the case of Konshisha local government council, where he (Gemade) personally followed them to deliver the electoral materials.

  He said the party and state government appointees from Konshisha council, however, frustrated the taking of the electoral materials to wards for the conduct of the delegates’ election, as all the wards electoral officers were “abducted” and whisked away.  

  Gemade accused Governor Suswam of trying to rig the delegates’ election in the 84 council wards of the zone, in order to position himself as winner ahead of the primaries in line with their “pre-determined congress, which they held at Governor Suswam’s private residence in Katsina-Ala on the 30th July, 2014, in which the State Secretary of the party, Hon. Bem Dzoho, announced a mock result of 227 votes to Governor Suswam and three votes for Gemade.”

  He also said: “Following the malpractice in all the local government areas of Zone ‘A’, Senator Gemade is praying the Electoral Committee to receive and approve the results and records conducted by his people as valid documents and election results for the ward congress election in the Seven LGAs of the senatorial district. 

  “He is also praying the committee to invoke section (46)(a) of the PDP Electoral Guidelines for 2014 Primary Elections, which stipulates that: ‘Any officer or member of the party who fails, refuses or neglects to carry out his duties in relation to these Guidelines on the general conduct of the primary elections or who obstructs, flouts, or in any way or manner hinders, impedes or subverts the implementation or success of these Guidelines is guilty of gross misconduct and shall be brought before the National Disciplinary Committee of the party for disciplinary action.”

  Meanwhile, Senator Gemade has rejected the order for a fresh delegate’s election in Konshisha local government area of Benue State.

  In a petition against the order by the Ward Delegate Electoral Committee, Gemade said already, the state governor allegedly “masterminded the hijacking of both the local government and ward electoral officials posted to Konshisha local council but failed to manipulate the congresses to his advantage as was done in all the other six LGAs of the zone.”

  He noted that if the order is allowed and fresh delegates’ elections conducted, it would give the governor ample opportunity to mobilise thugs and manipulate the election in Konshisha for him to complete the entire process of manipulation in the zone.

  He said: “It is surprising that after 48 hours from the end of Ward Congresses, we hear that new Ward Congresses are being ordered for Konshisha LGA, especially that this is at the instance of the Governor of Benue State, who is an aspirant in this election and is being accused of manipulating the process in the six other LGAs of the senatorial district. 

  “From the foregoing, I unequivocally reject this belated decision by the committee to order fresh Ward Congresses in Konshisha LGA. 

  “Suffice it to mention that we are all major stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but no matter how senior a member is, he should not be willfully allowed to manipulate the system.”

  He added: “It is pertinent to note that, now, the electoral materials have been compromised and I know as of fact the mobilisation of political thugs and criminals from other LGAs, where no activity is taking place to head to Konshisha to cause havoc on our teeming supporters and party members. 

  “I will therefore not accept to put the lives and property of my people into any danger occasioned by this well-organised, planned attack on Konshisha just for daring to support me.”

  He prayed the committee to take immediate steps to rescind this decision and not go ahead with the ward congresses in the interest of peace.

Source The Guardian Newspaper