A senior figure associated with the African Democratic Congress in Benue State has publicly accused the local leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Buruku Local Government Area of repeatedly attempting to obstruct the party’s activities. In a statement shared on social media, the writer argued that democracy requires free participation and that a functioning government should not fear opposition.
According to the account, the ADC was successfully launched in Abuja last year without interference and later inaugurated in Makurdi under the leadership of Senator Emmanuel Yisa Orker Jev without any attempt by Governor Hyacinth Alia to stop it. The party then proceeded to establish structures across the local government areas of Benue State, successfully inaugurating sixteen chapters without incident.
Buruku, described as the seventeenth, was the only place where resistance was encountered. The Local Government Chairman allegedly did everything possible to prevent the inauguration, prompting Senator Jev to relocate the event to his residence in order to avoid confrontation.
The statement further claimed that when Senator Jev returned home yesterday for a party function attended by notable Jemgbagh leaders, including High Chief Terngu Tsegba, former Speaker Rt. Hon. Terseer Tsumba and the ADC governorship candidate Rt. Hon. Herman Hembe, thugs allegedly mobilised by APC elements disrupted the gathering. Chairs were reportedly damaged and the party chairman, Hon. Thomas Agirgbe, as well as former Buruku Local Government Chairman Hon. Asen Neer, were assaulted. The writer described this as the second such incident directed at the party and warned that continued provocation could have wider consequences for the entire local government.
An appeal was made to the traditional rulers of Buruku, religious leaders, the Tombo Development Association and the Mbanyam community to urge the APC leadership in the area to exercise restraint before the situation escalates further. The statement concluded with a call for peace, tolerance and respect for democratic principles to prevail in Buruku.
