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Announcing the verdict on Monday in Makurdi, the INEC Returning Officer for the state, Prof Sabastine Maimako, said the “margin of lead is below that of cancelled votes, therefore, the election is hereby declared inconclusive”.

He put the total number of cancelled votes at 121,019 while the margin of lead between Ortom and Jime stood at 81,554 votes.

Maimako said Ortom polled a total of 410,576 votes while his closest rival, Mr Emmanuel Jime of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 329,022 votes.

The Advanced Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 3,489 votes , PRP had 26,659 votes.

Reacting to the INEC decision, Mr Alex Adum, the State Returning Officer for PDP, rejected the verdict, saying the electoral body ought to have declared Ortom the outright winner of the polls, having polled 81, 554 votes ahead of his closest rival.

He said the destruction of electoral materials at Mbalom council ward was not the fault of his candidate.

He also said the other anomalies recorded, especially that of a missing result sheet from Konshisha Local Government Area, was not tenable because it ought to have obtained a duplicate copy from their headquarters.

Reacting to Adum’s comments, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, said “once the results are declared only the courts can reverse them”.

The breakdown of the results, however, showed that Ortom won in 13 Local Government Areas of the state while Jime won in 10 government areas.

The local government areas where Ortom won were: Gboko, Guma, Ukum,,Logo, Vandeikya, Agatu, Kwande, Buruku, Konshisha, Ado and Ushongo, Gwer West and Gwer East.

Those won by Jime were: Makurdi, Tarka, Ado, Otukpo, Katsina Ala, Apa, Ohimini, Ogbadibo, Okpokwu and Obi.

Benue PDP Candidate and current governor Samuel Ortom and Emmanuel Jime of the APC

The National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Benue Governorship election held on Saturday March 9 inconclusive.

INEC declares Benue governorship polls inconclusive

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the results were announced by different Collation Officers for the local government areas in Makurdi.

The INEC records showed that Mr Emmanuel Jime of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has polled 264,505 votes, lagging behind with 53,225 votes.

NAN reports that results from Vandeikya, Buruku, Kwande and Konshisha Local governments are yet to be declared.

Gov Samuel Ortom of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is edging towards victory with 317,730 votes from the results of the Governorship polls in 19 Local Government Areas of Benue.

Ortom edges towards victory in Benue

<h1>The military said certain powerful forces in Benue were responsible for the recent attacks on communities in the state.</h1>

Maj-Gen Adeyemi Yekini, the Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), made the statement at a press briefing on Sunday in Makurdi.

Yekini also said such individuals were instigating violence as could be seen in the recent attacks on communities preceding major elections in the country.

”It is obvious that some forces are instigating violence in Benue; it is not a coincidence that there was an attack on Agatu community a week to the presidential election and now there is another attack on Gwer West a week to the governorship election.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that OPWS was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 to tackle cases of armed banditry on communities in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states.

The force commander said the military outfit had intensified operations along Loko-Agatu, Kwande and other border communities in Benue to prevent reoccurrence of the attacks.

He condemned the preference to cattle over human lives by those who retaliated because of cattle theft.

Flt Officer Mohammed Abubakar, the Sector Commander, OPWS in Gwer West Local Government Area, said some people were using military uniforms to rustle cattle.

”Those people who did this are suspected to be Livestock Guards, according to our local sources,” he said.

Abubakar said seven corpses had already been recovered.

According to him, the council chairman of Gwer West, Mr Francis Ayaga and the Divisional Police Officer of the local government area have already submitted seven names of the suspects to him.

Maj-Gen Adeyemi Yekini, the Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), made the statement at a press briefing on Sunday in Makurdi.

Certain forces instigating violence in Benue - Military

<h1>Sen. George Akume of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost his fourth time bid to win the Benue North West Senatorial seat to Rep. Orker Jev.</h1>

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the poll result, which was held on Feb. 23, was not announced by INEC owing to myriad of complaints bothering on its integrity.

Akume has represented the senatorial district from 2007 to 2019.

Announcing the results on Tuesday in Makurdi, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Nicodemus Agbulu, said Jev polled 157,726 votes to beat rival Akume of the APC, who polled 115,422 votes.

Agbulu said the number of registered voters was 867,302 while accredited voters were 293,399.

He said the total number of valid votes was 278,997, rejected ballots were 8,031 while total votes cast were 287,028.

Agbulu blamed the delay in the announcement of the result on the inability of the ad-hoc and collation officers to turn in results on time.

The returning officer also announced that 63 polling units had been cancelled across the 11 council wards in Guma, Makurdi and Buruku.

NAN reports that nine political parties contested the elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the poll result, which was held on Feb. 23, was not announced by INEC owing to myriad of complaints bothering on its integrity.

Sen. Akume loses Benue North West Senatorial seat to PDP's Orker Jev

Declaring the results on Tuesday in Makurdi, the State Constituency Collation Officer, Prof Sebastine Maimako, said Atiku polled a total of 355,255 votes to beat his closest rival, Buhari, who scored 347,668 votes.

He said the total number of votes cast were 761,780, the valid votes were 727,347, the total number of registered voters was 2,391,276 while total accredited votes stood at 786,069.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Atiku won in 13 of 23 Local Government Areas while Buhari won in 10.

Atiku won in Ukum, Opokwu, Guma, Ogbadibo, Gwer West, Buruku, Logo, Agatu, Apa, Ado, Obi, Gwer East and Katsina -Ala.

Buhari won in Tarka, Gboko, Otukpo, Oju, Makurdi, Ushongo, Ohimini,

Kwande, Vandeikya and Konshisha LGAs.

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has defeated President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the Presidential election in Benue.

Presidential election: Atiku beats Buhari in Benue

<h1>Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has taken an early lead in the Saturday’s presidential poll results in 7 of 11 Local Government Areas of Benue already announced.</h1>

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Monday in Makurdi that the results, which are still being collated across the state, showed Atiku leading in Gwer West, Buruku, Logo, Agatu, Apa, Ado, and Obi LGAs.

The results also showed President Muhammadu Buhari trailing behind in four local government areas.

The LGAs so far won by Buhari were; Tarka, Ushongo, Konshisha and Ohimini while results from 12 other LGAs were yet to be released.

Those being awaited are; Gboko, Guma, Makurdi, Katsina, Vandeikya, Otukpo, Ogbadibo, Oju, Kwande, Gwer East, Ukum and Guma LGAs.

The results showed that Atiku won in Logo with 28,227, in Gwer West with 14,660, Buruku with 23,236, Apa with 8,073, Agatu with 8,225, Obi with 7,803 and in Ado he polled 8,614 to take the lead.

Meanwhile the results of the Senatorial results in the state are yet to be released.

NAN recalls that both Gov. Samuel Ortom and Sen. George Akume, sighted at the INEC office in Makurdi, said they were there to lodge complaints.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Monday in Makurdi that the results, which are still being collated across the state, showed Atiku leading in Gwer West, Buruku, Logo, Agatu, Apa, Ado, and Obi LGAs.

Presidential election: Atiku leads in 7 of 11 LGAs in Benue

<h1>The Commander of a special military task force known as “Operation Whirl Stroke” has confirmed that there was an attack at Agatu Community in Benue early on Wednesday.</h1>

Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini said in a statement that the number of people killed had not yet been ascertained but that troops had been deployed to the area to restore peace.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the special military outfit is charged with the task of flushing armed groups out of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba.

“I received a report this afternoon that some people were killed in Agatu by suspected armed bandits.

“I’m not sure of the number of casualties yet but I don’t think it’s up to 16. We have sent a patrol team to the general area where the incident happened.

“The location where it happened, although in Benue but can better be accessed through Loko in Nasarawa State. We are sending a patrol team there to verify what really happened,’’ said Yekini.

Agatu and many other farming communities in Benue have witnessed repeated armed attacks in recent years in deadly episodes blamed on herdsmen.

Military confirms fresh attack on Agatu community

Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini said in a statement that the number of people killed had not yet been ascertained but that troops had been deployed to the area to restore peace.

<h1>The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Makurdi on Wednesday called on security agencies to beef up surveillance in all states to forestall any plan to rig the polls.</h1>

The party gave the advice in a communique issued after a one-day expanded emergency meeting at the City Bay Park in Makurdi.

The communique, which was signed by Prof. Eugene Aliegba, decried attacks on APC members on the day of the postponed polls resulting in the death of its Chairman, Mr Boniface Okleho, in Ohimini Local Government area.

It decried the spread of arms by militia groups in the state and called on security operatives to beam their searchlight on members of the Livestock Guards and the state vigilance group to curtail their excesses.

”The meeting deplored the fact that despite the deployment of security for conduct of the elections, the presence of armed militia and armed Livestock Guards still remained visible all over the state.

“The security agencies should check the activities of the Benue State Livestock Guards and other illegal security outfits in the state and recover arms from them, and their activities restricted since they have no role in the electoral process/matters,” it said.

The party also called on its members in the state to sustain efforts to achieve higher margins of victory in the rescheduled polls.

It also appealed to INEC “to publish a list of its duly accredited observers to enable security agencies identify fake groups/persons posing as observers.”

Benue APC wants security agencies to step up vigilance for Saturday elections

The party gave the advice in a communique issued after a one-day expanded emergency meeting at the City Bay Park in Makurdi.

<h1>Senate President Bukola Saraki has assured Nigerians that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, PDP presidential candidate, would unite Nigerians, provide jobs and end insecurity, if elected into office.</h1>

Saraki gave the assurance on Friday in Makurdi, during the Atiku/Obi Presidential campaign rally held at the Aper Aku stadium.

He appealed to the electorate to support the presidential bid of Atiku by turning in “at least 2 million votes out of the 2.5 million registered voters in the state”.

Also speaking, the chairman of the PDP, Mr Uche Secondus, said that Atiku had the magic wand to end the killing and poverty in the country.

He decried the prevailing insecurity in the state, and assured Nigerians that Atiku would end the killings and guarantee stability for the people.

Gov Samuel Ortom, in his speech, claimed that the Benue people had not benefited from the President Muhmmadu Buhari administration.

“The APC-led administration has neglected the Benue people, especially in the area of placements.

“I want Benue to vote Atiku for president because of his sound economic knowledge; I am confident that he will deploy this knowledge into initiating policies that will create jobs,” he said.

Ortom also expressed optimism that Atiku, if elected, would ensure that the Anti-Open Grazing Law was fully implemented.

“Atiku has the capacity to deliver and will not subject his presidency to the whims and caprices of a cabal,” Ortom claimed.

Senate President Bukola Saraki at the PDP presidential campaign rally in Benue state

Saraki gave the assurance on Friday in Makurdi, during the Atiku/Obi Presidential campaign rally held at the Aper Aku stadium.

Saraki says Atiku will unite Nigerians, provide jobs, security

<h1>Mrs. Abeji Egwa, Woman Leader, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Benue, has assured Mrs. Titi Abubakar, the wife of PDP presidential candidate, that her husband would receive bloc votes from the state.</h1>

Egwa gave the assurance on Monday in Makurdi, during the PDP Women Presidential Campaign Rally.

“I want to assure you that the entire Benue will vote for the PDP; I also want to assure you that the women in the state will ensure that your husband records overwhelming success here,” she said.

The woman leader said that Atiku deserved the support of Benue voters because he had the required experience to improve their lot, and urged voters to support candidates that could protect their interests.

Mrs. Keziah Agundu, a former chairman of the PDP in Benue, who also also spoke at the rally, expressed optimism that PDP candidates would win all seats they were contesting for.

Agundu commended Titi Abubakar for the visit, and promised that it would yield the desired results.

Former Speaker, Benue House of Assembly, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, in her remarks, commended Gov. Samuel Ortom and his wife for “working hard to make Benue better”.

Icheen expressed optimism that the party would win by a landslide margin at the polls.

Also speaking, Mrs. Rebecca Apedzan, a former commissioner in the state, appealed to the youths to rally support for the PDP because it was “the only political party that can take you off the streets”.

”Your joblessness will end as soon as the PDP wins the general elections; your vote for PDP will be for your overall good,” she said.

In a solidarity message, wife of former Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark, expressed confidence that the PDP would do well in the forthcoming elections.

“With the massive support the party is enjoying, we are sure of winning the polls,” she said.

Egwa gave the assurance on Monday in Makurdi, during the PDP Women Presidential Campaign Rally.

We’ll vote for your husband – Benue women tell Atiku's wife

<h1>Mr Emmanuel Jime, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in Benue, has berated Gov. Samuel Ortom for allegedly failing to pay workers salaries or execute meaningful projects in the state since assuming office in 2015.</h1>

Jime said on Tuesday in Katsina-Ala while addressing APC supporters during his campaign, that though the state had received more than N402 billion from the federation account, there was nothing tangible to show that was of immense benefit to the people.

Jime noted that the governor had not only failed to pay the salary arrears of workers, but also failed to create jobs or address the poverty level of people in Benue.

Jime pledged that if elected, he would provide jobs, build industries and ensure that the Katsina-Ala Yam Flour Mill commence production.

Also, APC senatorial candidate for Benue North East, Mrs Mimi Orubibi, said any governor that executed no projects within the first term of office has no business seeking a second term.

The APC House of Representatives candidate for Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala Federal Constituency, Mr Solomon Wombo, said the incumbent administration in the state has not done enough to improve the wellbeing of the people.

Wombo, a former Special Adviser to ex Governor Gabriel Suswam, noted that in spite of the support the people of Sankera gave to the PDP, they gained nothing in return.

He therefore urged them to vote APC in the upcoming elections in order to benefit from the dividends of democracy.

Also addressing the party supporters, the APC state chairman, Mr Abba Yaro, urged the electorates in the state to vote President Muhammadu Buhari and all APC candidates during the forthcoming polls.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that party flags were presented to APC candidates in the area by the chairman.

Jime said on Tuesday in Katsina-Ala while addressing APC supporters during his campaign.

Ortom has no business seeking second term - APC candidate Jime

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