The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue state may have degenerated as leading members of the party from the Benue South Senatorial District who were recently nominated into the party’s Governorship Campaign Council have rejected the appointment.

The group which is known as the G-9 Benue South Progressives Forum, in a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary/Public Relations Officer, Akor Ikwuoche said the decision of its members to turn down the appointments was taken to maintain the sanctity of their ideological conviction.

They were however quick to add that they would remain members of the party despite declining the appointments offered them.

Part of the statement read, “the leadership of G-9 Benue South Progressives Forum on behalf of its esteemed members, wish to inform the APC leadership in Benue State that all its members appointed into the APC Governorship Campaign Council in the State have collectively declined their appointments.

“This collective decision of the members is to maintain the sanctity of their ideological conviction and commitment to defending the pride and dignity of the Idoma nation.

“This action does not in any way mean withdrawal of support for the APC or its Candidates by G-9 or the affected members, however, the group considers it immoral to accept any appointment under the current state leadership which has no respect for APC stakeholders in Idoma land when it comes to running the State affairs.

“The G-9 has in several agitations demanded that the Tiv-controlled State leadership of the party allow the Idoma people to decide their political affairs by themselves and not by imposition from the Tiv leaders but all that outcry meant nothing to the state leadership.

“It will therefore amounts to greater insult on the Idoma people if Idoma leaders accept responsibility under a leadership that does not accord the Idoma people any iota of dignity or fair share.

“Accordingly, all the underlisted members of G-9 who were recently appointed into the APC Governorship Campaign Council in Benue state have, by this correspondence, rejected their appointments and have withdrawn their membership of the Campaign Council.”

On the list of the aggrieved members were former Local Government Council Chairmen, a former State Chairman of the party, former National Assembly members, former Advisers and State Executive Council members among others. (Vanguard)

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