The All Progressives Congress has released primary election results for Benue State, with sitting members of the National Assembly failing to secure their party's nomination to contest the next general election. Alhaji Mahuta Saidu, chairman of the APC National Primary Election Committee, announced the results at the party secretariat in Makurdi on Sunday. The outcome represents a significant shake-up in the state's political representation, as voters rejected most of the lawmakers seeking to return to the National Assembly under the ruling party's platform.
The committee conducted the primaries across multiple federal and state constituencies in Benue, with Dr Vandeikya representing the Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency. The pattern of incumbents losing their bids suggests growing pressure within the APC for fresh faces and new leadership in the state's delegations to both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Saidu presided over the ceremony and officially declared the results after what the party described as a transparent and credible primary process. The exercise drew participation from party members across the various constituencies, who exercised their right to choose new candidates or retain sitting members. In Benue, the exercise tilted heavily toward change, with voters opting for alternatives to the current crop of lawmakers in most contests.
The rejections come as the APC gears toward the 2025 general election, when all 109 seats in the House of Representatives and 36 Senate seats will be contested. For Benue State, which has eight House seats and three Senate seats, the primary results will shape the party's strength heading into the campaign season. The loss of sitting members means the APC will field largely new candidates in the state, potentially altering the state's representation in Abuja.
Party officials have said the primary exercise followed APC guidelines and gave all candidates equal opportunity to present themselves to voters. The results remain final unless candidates who lost lodge formal appeals before the APC Appeals Committee. The party expects to conduct its final list of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the deadline for submission of candidates for the 2025 elections.
