… As Ortom says PDP will not allow any party to take over power
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
The Speaker, Benue Assembly, Rt. Honourable Titus Uba, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship flag bearer in Benue state.
The state party congress took place on Wednesday at Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.
Declaring the results, the PDP Returning Officer, Mr Bode Ojomu, disclosed that 851 delegates were accredited out of which 20 were invalid.
Ojomu further explained that the Speaker Benue State House of Assembly Uba polled 731 thereby scoring the highest votes to emerge as the party flag bearer.
The Deputy Governor Benson Abounu got 81 to come a distant second while Prof. Dennis Ityavyar got two votes.
Mr Dominic Ucha and Dr Paul Angya got one vote each while Engr Ben Akarkar got no vote.
Reacting to his victory, Uba said that his heart knew no bounds, stressing that today was his happiest moment in life.
He appreciated his opponents who stepped down for him, emphasising that their actions spoke volumes.
He also stated that with his emergence as the governorship candidate of the party, a lot of responsibility was now placed on him but he was consoled that the responsibility was a collective one.
“My challenge now is how to move both the party and state forward but with the support of PDP members he will be able to achieve great things for the party and state,” Uba said.
He thanked Abounu for showing him immense love despite the fact that they were gunning for the same position.
Meanwhile, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, attributed Uba’s victory to God, stressing that a man cannot get anything unless given to him from God.
“God has done it and we return all the glory to Him.
“This victory is not Uba’s victory neither is it mine but victory for Benue and PDP,” Ortom said.
He pledged to give Uba the needed support to enable him succeed, stressing that PDP would not allow any party to take over power in the state again.
He commended the process and described it as free, fair, credible and transparent.