From Moses Mbaiorga, Gboko
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Benue State, has won 19 State House of Assembly seats out of thirty one in the just concluded Governorship and State Assembly elections.
Benue State House of Assembly members elect as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, include; Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh – Gboko West, Hon. Beckie Orpin – Gboko East, Hon. Simon Gabo – Mata, Hon. Saater Tiseer – Mbagwa and Hon. Abraham Jabi – Buruku.
Other APC members elect include Hon. Emmanuel Shimawua – Kyan, Hon. Mathew Damkor – Tiev, Hon. Jonathan Agbidyeh – Katsina-Ala East (re-elected), Hon. Peter Ipusu – Katsina-Ala West and Hon. Yanmar Ortese, Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga and Hon. Douglas Akya for Guma, Makurdi North and Makurdi South respectively.
The list also has Hon. Ezra Nyiyongu – Ukum, Hon. Ikong Cyril Ijebe, Hon. Audu Elias – Gwer East, Hon. Lami Danladi – Ado, Hon. Angbo Kennedy – Otukpo/Akpa, Hon. Manger Manger – Tarka and Hon. Ismaila Agada – Ogbadibo.
On the other hand, PDP won ten seats. They are; Hon. Onah Blessed Emmanuel – Oju 1, Hon. Godwin Abu Edoh – Agatu, Hon. James Abu – Apa, Hon. Moses Ogbodo – Obi, Hon. Agom Anthony while Hon. Michael Audu had clinched Okpokwu and Adoka/Ugboju seats respectively.
Some of the state assembly members elect under the platform of PDP are Hon. Abu Umoru – Apa, Hon. Isaac Ochekeiye – Ohimini and Hon. Samuel Shimapever Jiji – Logo, Hon. Solomon Gyila – Gwer West while Hon. Cephas Dyako Ashwa was reelected under Labour Party, LP, in Konshisha respectively.
Both Kwande East and Kwande West are hanging in the air. However, analysts who tipped APC to win the two seats said Kwande local government area is a stronghold of the broom party and would tick all the right boxes to emerge victorious whenever INEC gives a go-ahead nod for elections to hold in the area.
As it stands, APC will go in the ninth Benue State House of Assembly as a major political party and would probably, produce the speaker and majority leader of the house; while Hon. Cephas Dyako’s Labour Party will occupy the minority party cadre cum minority leader respectively.