From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Benue state, Hingah Biem, says he has began reconciliation processes with members of the party to pave way for a harmonious and smooth campaign of its party in the state.
The embattled governorship candidate had on l7th of January, 2019, recovered his mandate after a federal high court declared him winner following his unlawful substitution by the national leadership of the party.
The court had sack Dr Stephen Hwande, who was earlier presented as Benue SDP governorship candidate even though he never participated in the primaries that took place in Makurdi last year.
Hingah Biem expressed gratitude to the judiciary for restoring his mandate and called on Benue people to have faith and trust in the party as he begins the process of reconciliation and building confidence.
The former permanent secretary in Benue attributed his ordeal to the impunity by some party leaders and stated that democracy in Nigeria will continue to suffer setbacks if nothing is done to check their excesses.
He further stated that the judgment will send a very strong signal to party leaders that it is not all the time that you get away with impunity.
He said the SDP has lost so much ground. “We are in a contest with other politucal parties. They are already campaigning and we have not started. For the two months we were in court, other parties were covering grounds and we were losing grounds because a good number of people were moving away from us.
“Now that it is settled, we need to sit as a family and plan. Perhaps, where there are injuries, we will heal them so we can work together as members of same family.
He said party leaders had met in Abuja last week and agreed that in the spirit of reconciliation, those who lost in court should be prepared to accept defeat and not challenge the decision of the court any further and that those who won should be magnanimous in victory.
“So, we have started consultations to come out with a solution that will be acceptable to all of us” Biem said.
He further explained that it was in the same spirit of reconciliation that Dickson Akor who was the running mate to Dr. Hwande was chosen to work with him as a running mate.
Mr Biem thanked his supporters and all those who had been in the trenches with him, while the cade lasted, expressing the hope that while he visits the party’s national secretariat and INEC within the week, his candidature will be formalized to enable him participate successfully in the governorship elections.
He pledged that when he flags of his state wide campaigns, it will be issue based, devoid of violence and acrimony. “I will not mention any issues that bother on individuals or personalities but only things that bother on the yearnings of our people”, he added.
Meanwhile the state party chairman, Engr. John Enemari says he has written to the national secretariat to send Hingah Biem’s name to INEC for recognition as the authentic governorship candidate of the party.
Enemari in the letter titled “Re-Demand for Compliance With Judgement…”, which he made available to newsmen, appealed to the national secretariat to send the name soonest to enable the state party carry out it’s campaigns for the elections.
The SDP chairman said the Benue masses awaits Hingah Biem and once that is done, the SDP will be taking a victorious march to government House.
