The member representing Gwer West/Gwer East Federal Constituency of Benue State, Mark Gbillah has accused Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of lacking the confidence to win popular votes in the forthcoming general elections.
Gbillah who spoke at a news conference on Friday alleged that the PDP in the state was filing plethora of suits against other political parties in the state with a view to getting their candidates disqualified so as to stand alone in the elections.
He also alleged that the governor was behind the publication of fake news against him by one of his aides, pointing out that he has already informed the Security agents and other Nigerians to hold the governor responsible if anything should happen to him or any member of his family before, during and after the general election. The lawmaker who was reacting to an online publication that he has been disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because his name appeared as candidate for two different political parties alleged that the governor and his aides have employed “every unscrupulous and dubious means” to discredit him.
He said “I want to hereby alert INEC, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security agencies of the apparent breach of section 123 (b) and (c) of the Electoral Act 2022 and the peace accord entered into by all political parties by this fake news publication by Governor Samuel Ortom’s SSA and the alleged intention of this camp to employ every unscrupulous and dubious avenue to discredit me and prevent me from being on the ballot in 2023 which gives my family and I great concern about our wellbeing.
“I want to put the INEC, the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the National Security Adviser and other relevant security agencies on notice that Governor Samuel Ortom, his administration and cronies should be held responsible for any continued disparagement, misinformation and attack against me, my candidacy and family and for any harm that befalls me or any member of my family during the electioneering campaigns, pre and post elections up to the termination of this administration”.
Speaking on the double publication of his name, he said “It is true that INEC’S publication on 20th September 2022 of the list of National (Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives) candidates for the 2023 general elections indicated my name as the candidate for both Labour Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the Benue North-West Senatorial District Elections. This publication was erroneous and without my knowledge and I have since initiated necessary legal action against INEC and NNPP in order to correct this grievous error.”
“I have reliably been informed that the PDP is in the process of instituting legal action against me with regards to INEC’S erroneous duplication of my name on 20th September 2022. It is unfortunate that PDP does not appear to be confident about winning the popular votes of the Benue people and has resorted to institution of a plethora of legal actions against candidates of other political parties to try to remove them from the ballot and prevent the Benue people from having other credible options,” he alleged.