A renewed crisis is threatening the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, as the fragile peace between Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, appears to be unraveling just days after a reconciliation meeting.
The tension stems from a high-level peace meeting held on Sunday, May 3, 2026, convened at the instance of President Bola Tinubu to resolve long-standing rifts within the party.
However, instead of fostering unity, the meeting has exposed sharp disagreements, particularly over the proposal for automatic tickets for elected APC officials ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sources at the meeting revealed that Akume pushed for automatic tickets for Governor Alia and other elected officials, including members of the National and State Assemblies, arguing it would ensure continuity and reward loyalty. Governor Alia, however, firmly rejected the proposal.
The governor insisted that all aspirants must participate in transparent primaries, warning that imposing candidates could spark further internal conflict.
He emphasized that both President Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC have repeatedly stated there would be no automatic tickets.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Governor Alia clarified: “Because the APC has made it very clear, Mr. President has stated this several times and the National Chairman of the APC also emphasized, there is no automatic ticket.”
He described Akume’s position as a mere appeal rather than an official resolution.
The disagreement comes against the backdrop of a prolonged power struggle between the two leaders since after the 2023 elections.
The rift led to parallel congresses in March 2026, which were eventually resolved in favour of the Alia-aligned faction by the national APC leadership.
With preparations for the 2027 elections gaining momentum, political observers fear the fresh disagreement could polarise the party once again and undermine its chances in the forthcoming polls.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com