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Benue State leaders
of the Action Congress of Nigeria yesterday protested weekend’s loss in
the senatorial election, accusing the ruling party of rigging and
asking the Independent National Electoral Commission to call for new
elections.

Former governor of
the state, George Akume; a current senator, Joseph Akaakerger and the
party’s candidate for the Benue South seat, Lawrence Onoja and other
top party leaders stormed the INEC office yesterday in protest and
submitted petitions to the office of the chairman, Attahiru Jega.

“This rubbish is
being celebrated in Abuja but elsewhere, there were sham,” Mr Akume
said at the commission’s office in Abuja on Tuesday. “This election
must be cancelled because they are useless, and we keep preaching
one-man one-vote in Abuja. Let us be sincere if we don’t want elections
in this country. Let us say no to elections.”

Coming days before
the presidential election and more than a week to the governorship
polls, the demand for cancellation by the party members is part of a
growing discontent from political parties over the widely lauded polls.

Mr Onoja, who
challenges the return of the senate president, David Mark, was the
first to arrive INEC premises yesterday. He rejected the election
results and called for a rerun in what appears to be a potentially
long-drawn legal contest.

“The election that
took place there is not what you should call election. It was a
tragedy,” he said. “If election that took place in Benue South is
anything to go by, then I think we have a long way to go.”

Rejected soul

Later in the day,
Messrs Akume and Akaakerger, joined by the state party leaders, arrived
at the commission with the same charge. The former governor is
contesting for Benue North West seat which was postponed by INEC to
April 26. Mr Akaakerger was defeated by Barnabas Gemade in results
announced Sunday for the North East seat.