Daniel Onjeh has finally broken his silence after losing out in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election, describing the outcome as a case of “pure horse trading” while clearing Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia, of any blame.
Even with the setback, Onjeh reiterated his loyalty to the governor, applauding his style of governance and expressing readiness to support his second-term ambition.
Reacting to the APC primary exercise, Onjeh said the circumstances surrounding his defeat were products of political negotiations that were outside Governor Alia’s control.
In a statement released shortly after the primaries, the former aspirant explained that after reviewing the entire process, he came to the conclusion that the outcome was driven by political interests rather than the governor’s direct involvement.
“The APC primaries have come and gone. I have come to realize that what happened to me was purely horse trading and truly beyond His Excellency, Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia,” he stated.
Although he expressed disappointment over the conduct of the primaries, Onjeh insisted that the governor had remained focused on governance and development in the state.
He noted that while the APC may have fallen short politically, Governor Alia’s commitment to delivering good governance had remained intact.
According to Onjeh, his backing for the governor has always been rooted in personal conviction and confidence in the administration’s efforts to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
He stressed that the outcome of the primary election would not affect his support for the governor’s leadership and political future.
“My support for him and his administration has always been completely out of conviction,” he said, while also pledging continued support for Governor Alia’s re-election bid.
Onjeh also congratulated the governor ahead of the APC governorship primary election.
