The All Progressives Congress, Gubernatorial Primary Election Panel in Benue on Friday abandoned the exercise, just one hour after voting started.

Chairman of the panel, Mr Babajide Kayode, did not give reasons for parking the electoral materials, personal belongings and stormed out of the IBB square, venue of the elections.

Delegates from Agatu, Ado, Apa, Ohimini and Ogbadibo, Local Government Areas had voted before the abandonment.The delegates from Okpokwu Local Government Area were voting when the exercise came to an abrupt end in the state which had 23 local governments.

Some of the delegates decried the manner the governorship primaries was abandoned.

Chairman of the party, Mr Abba Yaro and other chieftains could not be reached on telephone for their comments.

One of the aspirants, Prof. Steve Ugba, had in an exparte motion restrained the panel from conducting the primaries for excluding him from the race.

The Judge, Justice Terhemen Onum, had held that the party did not vacate the certificate of clearance given to the applicant before disqualifying him.

He said that the party ought to have vacated the certificate of clearance before issuing a statement that the applicant was no longer eligible.Ugba had in the motion argued that the party cleared and issued a certificate which qualified him to participate in the elections.

He argued that it was illegal for the same party to declare him ineligible to run without first vacating the eligibility certificate.Ugba contested against Gov. Gabriel Suswam in 2007 general elections under the platform of the defunct Action Congress Nigeria, but lost.