By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Pastor Ojema Ojotu, has described the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Benue State as peaceful, transparent and reflective of the wishes of party members.

Ojotu made his position known while speaking with journalists at the APC Secretariat in Makurdi during Saturday’s presidential primary election.

The federal lawmaker, who is also seeking re-election ahead of the 2027 general elections, said the conduct of the primaries marked a sharp departure from the violence and chaos often associated with party elections in the country.

According to him, the exercise, which began last week with the House of Representatives primaries and continued through the Senate, House of Assembly and governorship contests before the presidential primary, has remained orderly across the state.

“In the history of primary elections, this is the first time an election of this magnitude will be conducted in this state without hearing that somebody’s head was broken. We are not even talking about death,” Ojotu said.

“Everywhere is quite peaceful. People are going about very happy and the happiness and the excitement you are seeing on the faces of the people is a clear indication that the outcome of the elections is exactly the desire, the aspiration and the yearnings of the people.”

He noted that there had been no reports of violence, ballot snatching or destruction of property throughout the exercise, adding that the atmosphere at various voting centres reflected confidence in the process.

Ojotu maintained that the APC remained the dominant political force in Benue State, insisting that securing the party’s ticket already placed candidates in a strong position ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He contrasted the APC primaries with those of opposition parties in the state, which he described as crisis-ridden and characterised by disruption and ballot snatching.

The lawmaker also commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for providing leadership that ensured peaceful party administration and smooth conduct of the primaries across the state.

Speaking on his re-election bid, Ojotu expressed confidence in his popularity within Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, saying the support he enjoyed during the primaries was an indication of what to expect during the general election.

“The turnout and support we received during the primaries clearly show that the people are with us. During the main election, the entire Apa/Agatu communities will come out en masse to vote again,” he said.

Ojotu also dismissed suggestions that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could threaten the APC’s chances in the 2027 elections, citing internal divisions within the opposition party.

“Which faction of the PDP are you talking about? It is a divided house and a house that is divided cannot be a threat to APC,” he said.

The lawmaker, who previously contested and won elections on the PDP platform before defecting to the APC, said many PDP structures in his constituency moved with him to the ruling party.

“When I left PDP, I left with all the structures of the PDP in my constituency. So when you put that force and join the force of the APC, as the ruling party on ground, I don’t see how anybody can withstand that,” he added.