Benue APC fumes over Ado council boss, Sunday Oche hobnobbing with ADC, PDP.
Tony Amar
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue State, is in quandary over how to address the open romance between the Ado local government council chairman, Sunday Oche, the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the area.
At first, it was PDP that Sunday Oche was hobnobbing with, but after series of complaints and stern warnings from officials of APC in the State, he decided to pulled out of PDP and embraced ADC as his preferred partner.
The council chairman, had few months ago, attended PDP organised events in the local government, where he publicly told them how Governor Alia is starving local government chairmen of funds and making lives unbearable for average Benue people.
He also publicly hosted the leader of PDP in Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, senator Abba Moro in his country home in Ikpomilokpo where he also endorsed the senator as his leader and expressed readiness to accept PDP ticket for house of representatives for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency come 2027.
When Sunny Oche realized that this might not be possible, he decided to build fences around ADC and has succeeded in planting his loyalists and supporters from across the ten council wards in ADC to monitor situation of things pending when he would finally leave APC for ADC to actualize his dream of becoming house of representatives member.
APC as a party has kept sealed lip over its plans on how to deal with what it described as a the most brazen case of anti-party activity ever embarked upon by someone who became an executive chairman under it platform.
The situation took an unexpected turn for the worse with Sunday Oche being named as a leading figure in ADC in Ado having provided funds for the party to be launched in the area.
Just few days ago, the ADC stakeholders from Ijigban council ward paid him a solidarity and thank you visit for his support to the party.
This development is causing serious tension within APC at the local government and in the State.
However, an APC leader who spoke on condition of anonymity because the party is yet to deliberate and take a decision on the issue said, the party would “definitely act at the appropriate time.”
The party source said, “ We don’t want to have council chairman under the platform of our party that would not be loyal to the party and the governor who is the leader of the party in the State.
“We are all aware about his love for oppositions, so we’ve decided to do something about. Already, the state leadership of our party is aware of Sunday Oche anti party activities.
“We will not be turning a blind eye to his numerous infractions. This is the same man who went to attend PDP occasion and insulted Governor Alia and also went to sponsor Inauguration of Africa Democratic Party(ADC) in his local area.
“It is now clear for every one to see that his insistence on becoming executive chairman under our party is simply to frustrate the administration of governor Alia and allow dividends of democracy to elude the people of Ado.
“This cannot continue, something has to be done and I’m sure as soon as the party concludes its investigation, we will take a definite stand.”