Ahead of Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly Elections, the All Progressive Congress in Benue has accused the State Governor, Samuel Ortom of trying to instigate violence.

Ortom in a swift response dismissed the opposition party accusation, saying the party was in panic mode.

The All Progressive Congress had levelled accusations against the State Governor of insisting on imposing his successor and threatened to victimize anyone who may be a stumbling block.

The State Chairman of the party, Austin Agada disclosed this to newsmen at a press conference held at the party secretariat in Makurdi on Wednesday.

Agada said that the party heard from a good authority clandestine meeting had been held with his council chairmen to warn all traditional rulers in their domain to support his candidate or face deposition.

Agada called on security agencies to brace up to forestall security threats during the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections.

He said, “Since Governor Ortom lost his election, he has been making seamless statements threatening to depose traditional rulers and sack permanent secretaries and top civil servants if they don’t vote for his successor.

“We also have it from good authority that he has been threatening to do everything to ensure that his party wins this Saturday’s governorship election.

“Security agents are aware of all the threats and the meeting held with returning agents and his council chairmen but we are assuring our people that APC will do everything possible to protect them and anyone victimize in the cause of this election when we come to power we will restore the person.

The APC boss however cleared the air that the party or its candidate, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia had no path with any ethnic groups in the State and maintained that Ortom deserves the rejection he suffered at the polls insisting that civil servants and pensioners who are owed several months of salary arrears, allowances and gratuities are hell-bent to further reject him (Ortom) and its third term bid through his crony this Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Terver Akase dismissed the allegations and said that the opposition APC was already in panic mode.

He said, “The APC is known for falsehood. They are manufacturers of lies and nothing good, nothing fruitful will come from that party.

“What they are doing is to whip up sentiments against the administration of Governor Samuel Ortom.”

Akase who spoke to our correspondent on the phone added, “What the APC has said was to bring sentiment against the governor of the state, governor has never and will never threaten anybody, neither will he direct any of his aides to do what is against their wills because the constitution of the country provides for freedom of association

“So the Governor couldn’t have threatened permanent secretaries or anyone at that. Governor Ortom is someone who believes in Democracy and the rule of law and does not believe in unconventional means of achieving results.

“The APC is doing falsehood. APC has gone into panic mode ahead of the 18 March election because they know they are going to lose that election. (Nigerian Tribune)

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