2023: Again, suspended catholic priest, Hyacinth Alia wins APC guber primary rerun in Benue

Hyacinth Alia, a suspended priest in the Catholic diocese of Gboko, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary rerun in Benue state.

The court of appeal sitting in Makurdi, Benue state capital, last week, ordered APC to conduct fresh primary elections for selection of its gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming general election.

The court, based on evidence submitted in a suit filed by one of the party’s gubernatorial aspirant, Terhemba Shija, agreed that the primary election that took place in May 2022 by APC during which Alia was declared as the governorship candidate of the party was not validly conducted.

However, Alia, on Thursday, February 2, polled 410,682 votes to again emerge as the governorship candidate of APC at the rerun primary conducted.

Basheer Lado, while announcing the results of the rerun primary, said that the first runner-up was Matthias Byuan who polled 14,592 votes.

He added that the second runner-up was Sen. Barnabas Gemade, who got 5,125 votes.

Prof. Terhemba Shija polled 2,217 votes, while Michael Aondoakaa and Iorwase Hembe polled 3,815 and 638 votes, respectively.

“The winner of the voting exercise is Alia. Therefore, I declare him as the party’s governorship candidate,’’ Lado said.

In addition, Alia’s candidature was ratified by members of the party through a voice vote.