Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Facts have emerged on how the immediate past commissioner for Transportation and Energy in Benue state, Barrister Omale Omale and a former chairman of Apa local government, Mr. Ochai Alidu are planning to ensure that the member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, Pastor Ojotu Ojema will not have a soft landing in All Progressive Congress as he plans to defect to the ruling party.
Findings by Nigerian Concord Newspaper showed that both Omale Omale and Ochai Alidu are aspiring to represent Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency at the House of Representative, a seat which is presently being occupied by a People’s Democratic Party’s member, Pastor Ojotu Ojema.
Findings also showed that the current occupant of the seat who is the only PDP member from Benue State in the House of Representatives is seriously considering plans to defect to the ruling party, All Progressive Congress any moment from now.
Meanwhile, both Omale and Ochai Alidu, having sensed that Governor Hyacinth Alia may give a return ticket for Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency to the current occupant as a result of his relationship with the Idoma nation’s paramount ruler, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo John, met with some social media influencers whom they paid to promote a false narrative that the governor is planning to replace his deputy, Barrister Sam Ode with Hon. Ojema as his running mate in 2027.
A source in Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency who spoke with our report on a condition of anonymity during the investigation said: “The plan is to make Dr. Ode begin to fight Ojema with the belief that the main purpose for his coming to All Progressive Congress is to take the deputy governorship seat from him in 2027 even when such plan will never take place as a result of the cordial relationship between Father Alia and his deputy.
“It’s true that Pastor Ojema is planning his defection to APC in the coming weeks and all he wants is an automatic ticket to return to the House of Representatives but the people who have started mobilizing to represent the Constituency in All Progressive Congress, Omale Omale and Ochai Alidu feel threatened by the planned defection of the PDP representatives coupled with the fact that his relationship with the paramount ruler of Idoma nation might be a major factor for Governor Hyacinth Alia to consider him for an automatic ticket.
“This is just the reason both Omale Omale and Ochai Alidu orchestrated the false narrative that Governor Alia is planning to make Ojema his running mate in 2027”