“Hijacked Ballots, Logistical Mess: How Benue APC Primaries Nearly Collapsed”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly primaries in Benue State were thrown into chaos on Saturday due to a combination of late arrival of voting materials and an alleged hijacking of ballots.

Reports indicate that materials meant for constituencies like Makurdi/Guma and Gwer East/Gwer West were reportedly seized during distribution at the party secretariat in Makurdi.

Sources claimed that suspected party loyalists connected to the state government took the materials, with one insider noting that only the faction backing Governor Alia was present when the items were distributed. In some cases, the dispute over hijacked materials had to be resolved at the police headquarters.

Further complicating the exercise, election materials arrived late in remote local government areas such as Kwande and Logo, leading to delays.

However, voting was successfully concluded in Agatu by early evening. While the Agada-led faction confirmed the disruptions, the faction loyal to Governor Alia did not respond to requests for comment.

The Chairman of the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee in the state, Alhaji Sabiu Mahuta, attributed the overall delays to logistical challenges.