By BRIDGET IKYADO
ABUJA- Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue, says he will continue with his reconciliation efforts to unite all party members ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Alia made the pledge in Makurdi when he was presented with a letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the official flag bearer of the APC for the governorship election in the state.
A statement by his media aide, Isaac Uzaan made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the INEC letter was presented to Alia by the state APC Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada.
Alia thanked the people of Benue for finding him worthy of their trust by choosing him to bear the flag of the APC.
He congratulated those who contested with him and urged them to unite and work for the victory of APC during the elections.
The governorship candidate described his emergence as a victory for all, adding that the task before all party members was to work collectively for APC victory in the general election.
He said having spent 32 years “in the trenches with the downtrodden”, his vision was to change the sorry state of affairs in Benue and bring about the development desired by all.
Alia said he would unveil his Deputy soon, who would support him to bring about the changes required for the state and enable the people to prosper.
“APC is for change and all members of the party must be the representation of that change in Benue,” he added.
Earlier, the state party chairman described the event as the beginning of the second phase of victory for APC in Benue.
Agada said it was incumbent on them as leaders to unite all aggrieved party members who might have been wronged during the primaries.
“It is imperative for Fr. Alia to intensify the personal efforts he has been making to bridge any perceived gap between him and the aggrieved members of the party,” he added.
The chairman said that the party would not relevant until it wrested power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the coming elections. (NAN)