By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Following the outcome of the Benue North Senatorial District elections, Hon. Titus Tartenger Zam of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has defeated the incumbent Governor of the State, Samuel Ortom overwhelmingly.
Hon. Titus Tartenger Zam pulled 143, 151 votes to defeat Gov. Ortom who had 106, 882 votes.
Professor Rufus Shaato, the returning officer for the Senatorial and House of Representatives for Benue North West Senatorial District and Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, declared Hon. Zam winner of the 2023 Senatorial election, having scored the highest votes.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the declaration, the newly elected senator, Hon. Titus Zam, former Special Adviser to Ortom on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs said the era of impossing candidates on the electorate was over.
“Now when you are elected by the people and you failed to represent them well they will sack you in the next election.
“My overwhelming victory over Ortom is as a result of his bad governance not having the plight of Benue people at heart but his personal interest which has thought him a lesson to represent his constituency well at the upper chamber.
Arc. Asema Achado, the declared House of Representatives member for Gwer/ Gwer – West on the platform of APC against Emmanuel Ukaa of the PDP expressed satisfaction with the modern technology adopted by INEC to conduct the election.
Achado described the election as the freest election conducted since the return of Democracy in 1999.
He assured the people of the state and his constituency in particular that he would at the lower chamber join forces with his brother, Senator Zam at the upper chamber to make laws that will have direct bearing on the lives of Benue people and their constituencies.
Other declared APC winners of House of Representatives are; Hon. Mrs. Regina Akume for Gboko/Tarka, who defeated Hon. John Dyeh of the PDP, Sekav Iortyom for Buruku, defeated Hon. Sokpo of the Labour Party, Mrs. Blessing Onu of Otukpo/ Ohimini defeated Alex Ogbe of PDP, Hon. Terseer Ogbor for Kwande/Ushongo defeated Hon. Bob Tyough of the PDP, Hon. Sesoo Ikoagher Gboko for Vandeikya/Ushongo defeated Atorough Tyough, Hon.Philip Agbese for Ado/Okpkwu/Ogbadibo,
Hon. Dickson Tarkighir for Makurdi/ Guma, also defeated the incumbent Hon.Bem Mzondu of the PDP.
In the Benue South Senatorial District, the incumbent Senator Abba Moro of the PDP defeated Hon. Daniel Onje of the APC.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the 2023 general elections was 95 per cent in favour of APC in Benue State as both the sitting governor, Samuel Ortom and other national assembly seats on the platform of PDP were defeated with overwhelming margins.
As at the time of filing this report, the results of the Benue North East Senatorial District keenly contested by the incumbent Senator Gabriel Suswam of PDP and Bar. Emmanuel Udende of the APC was yet to be declared.
Zam, (right), winner of Benue North Senatorial District, flanked by Achado (left) Reps. Winner for Makurdi/Guma