By Ene Robert, Makurdi
The umbrella body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) youths of Idoma/Igede extraction, Benue South Progressive Youth Forum (BSPYF) has lambasted a former senatorial aspirant, Alhaji Usman Abubakar, aka Young Alhaji for “selfishly kicking against” the Zone C elders’ Deputy Governorship shortlist.
The forum in a statement issued by its Secretary General, Comrade Adah Freeman Alechenu (ph.d) on Monday and made available to our correspondent, stated that Abubakar is not the leader of the party in the Senatorial district as claimed.
Describing Young Alhaji as “a serial loser” who has no electoral value, the group threw their weight behind the unity list of the Zone C elders led by former Senate President, Sen. Ameh Ebute
The forum stressed that Egnr. Michael Ogbleba (Otukpo L.G.A), Alh. Yusuf Suleiman Elaigwu (Apa L.G.A) and Hon. Bernard Ochepa (Ado L.G.A) who were shortlisted by the wise elders are “eminently qualified” to deputize the Governorship Candidate of the party, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, pledging to support the candidate and any one who emerged as his running mate from the Benue South elders’ unity list at the 2023 polls.
It also pledged its continuous loyalty to Zone C party elders and the leader of the party in the state, Sen. George Akume.
The statement reads inter alia: “BSPYF is particularly amused at the latest outing of the self-acclaimed Benue South APC leader who in an undated poorly written statement issued via social media, selfishly and shamelessly faulted the Benue South APC elders’ Deputy Governorship unity list on grounds of his “exclusion”.
“It would be recalled that party elders from Benue South met on the 8th of July, 2022, and agreed on a shortlist of Deputy Governorship nominees and submitted the list to the Governorship Candidate of the party, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia for consideration. Copies were also sent to Leader of the party in the State, H.E Sen. Dr. George Akume, and the state Secretary of the party.
“The elders led by former Senate President, Sen. Ameh Ebute, in their wisdom shortlisted the names of Egnr. Michael Ogbleba (Otukpo L.G.A), Alh. Yusuf Suleiman Elaigwu (Apa L.G.A) and Hon. Bernard Ochepa (Ado L.G.A) from a pool of aspirants.
“The shortlisting of the names of those illustrious sons of Benue South by the wise elders threw the state into jubilations because of their track records and antecedents which made them eminently qualified to deputize Fr. Alia.
“Regrettably, while the jubilations were going on, a certain Alhaji Usman Abubakar came out to kick against the shortlist just because for the first ever the will of the people prevailed against his self-serving selection.
“We make bow to say that Alhaji Usman Abubakar or Young Alhaji as he called himself, is not the leader of the All Progressives Congress in Zone C.
“For the record, Young Alhaji does not have any electoral value! He has never won ordinary councillorship election before. He is best known as a serial loser.
“The key pointers are: How can a man who cannot win his polling unit be the leader of a party? How can a man who monetize his loyalty and feed off shenaniganry lead a responsible party?
“Your answer is as good as ours.
“We, therefore, urged the leadership of the party in the state to disregard Young Alhaji and his shameless write up of a statement, as it was motivated by greed and self-delusion.”