12 die in ghastly auto accident as PDP cancels rally in Benue

PDP stakeholders and party faithful were heading to Obagaji, the headquarters of Agatu local government area, for the flag-off campaign for Benue South candidates of the party in the 2019 general elections.

The party has consequently cancelled the proposed mega rally, which was also billed for the defection ceremony of over 2000 members of the opposition parties.

According to eye-witness account, an on-coming motorcycle rammned into the PDP convoy around Ojinebe village in Adoka, Otukpo local government area, causing another on-coming Toyota Sienna to loose control with head-on collision with an 18-seater bus and a Volkswagen.

"The Sienna, in an attempt to dodge the bike lose control and faced the 18-seater bus, thereby causing accident for the golf coming behind", the source said.

Addressing supporters of the party in Agatu, the PDP state chairman, Sir John Ngbede, said the proposed flag off campaign would no longer hold, "as a mark of honour of about 12 lives that were lost which PDP members were also involved".

Reacting to the development, the senatorial candidate of the party, Comrade Abba Moro, said "in honour of our brothers and sister that have died, trying to honour the party, this rally for the flag off of the Benue South senatorial district, otherwise known as Zone C campaign, is hereby cancelled.

"I pray to God Almighty that as you go back to your various homes, that God will grant you journey mercies, I also promise, that as soon as arrangements are made for the burial of our fallen members and heroes, you will be adequately informed".

Amongst the corpses deposited at the mortuary, 7 of them are members of PDP from Oju local government area, while 5 were occupants of the Sienna bus from Iga Okpaya, who were said to be heading for a burial.

About 5 others who sustained various degrees of injuries, according to Moro, are to be moved to specialist hospitals in cities, as ordered by Governor Samuel Ortom for orthopaedic and other special attentions.

The official flag off of Friday was supposed to be for the presentation of flags to all the House of Assembly, House of Representatives candidates as well as Senatorial candidate of the party.