Alia, Akume in fresh battle for control of Benue APC

Fresh turmoil appears to be brewing within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State following the parallel conduct of the party’s ongoing ward and local government congresses across the state’s 276 wards. Our correspondent reports that the Benue APC has struggled to find stability since the emergence of the current administration, with internal wrangling […]

Fresh turmoil appears to be brewing within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State following the parallel conduct of the party’s ongoing ward and local government congresses across the state’s 276 wards.

Our correspondent reports that the Benue APC has struggled to find stability since the emergence of the current administration, with internal wrangling deepening rather than abating as what was initially perceived as routine post election disagreements has since evolved into a protracted leadership tussle threatening the party’s cohesion ahead of future political contests.

At the heart of the crisis remains the strained relationship between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and his estranged political protégé, Governor Hyacinth Alia. 

No doubt, their frosty ties have entrenched factional loyalties within the party structure, polarizing stakeholders from the state executive down to ward levels – one faction headed by Comrade Austin Agada loyal to SGF and the other constituted by the party’s national secretariat headed by Benjamin Omale – existing side by side.

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Every effort made, including the latest intervention by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday, December 28, 2025, to reconcile the two men failed.

The latest tension flared up about a week ago when supporters of both camps took to social media to flex their muscles over who controls the party in the state, each displaying electoral materials received from Abuja in their custody.

Furthermore, both factions – the SGF’s camp, nicknamed the “Stakeholders,” and Governor Alia’s group, known as the “Masses” – not only traded words but also issued separate statements signaling the commencement of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election.

The governor’s faction led by Chief Omale had issued a statement signed by its State Organising Secretary, James Ornguga, indicating that all the committee members selected by the National Secretariat of the APC and saddled with the responsibility of conducting the ward and local government congresses in Benue had arrived Makurdi for the assignment. 

“This is to formally notify all members of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Benue State chapter. To this effect, the Chairman, Ward/ Local Government Screening Committee, Hon. Saidu Adamu and his Secretary, Lawrence Logam invite all aspirants who have purchased forms for various ward and delegate positions to  tender their nomination and expression of interest forms at the state party Secretariat, No. 75 JS Tarka Way, Makurdi today February 17, 2026 for screening,” Ornguga stated.

Similarly, the SGF faction led by State Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, issued a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, notifying all members of the ward, local government, and state congresses holding on February 18, February 21 and March 3, 2026 respectively as scheduled by the APC national secretariat.

“We wish to make it clear, without any ambiguity, that the Congresses are Non-Elective, therefore all Executives are to be rolled over in accordance with the resolutions of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party.

Our correspondent who was at the APC party secretariat in the early hours of Wednesday, however observed heavy security in place as officials distribute sensitive materials to party representatives for the commencement of the exercise in their various areas under the supervision of the Chairman of the Ward and Local Government Congress Committee, Auwalu Ishaye.

Ishaye expressed confidence in the peaceful disposition of Benue people and wished stakeholders a successful exercise while he urged them to conduct themselves properly to guarantee a smooth process.

Factional chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Omale, said that the security arrangement was facilitated by Governor Hyacinth Alia, to ensure a hitch free and peaceful exercise as party members elect new ward executives and delegates.

Omale, also charged electoral officers to remain orderly and disciplined, stressing strict compliance with regulations issued by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and that the state government ensured adequate security deployment across all 23 local government areas to prevent any disruption during the congresses.

The State Organising Secretary, Ornguga, told our correspondent on the sideline that the national body of the party had sent committees members to oversee their exercise.

“They (national secretariat) can’t send two committees for one election,” he posited.

He explained that the ward congresses would elect 27 executive committee members in each ward, alongside 10 delegates  – five for the state congress and five for the local government congress adding that the state chapter had received the party’s national electoral committees from the national headquarters to oversee the exercise.

Ornguga said the screening committees had certified Benue ready for the exercise, leading to the rollout of materials for the congresses.

The Comrade Agada led faction however has insisted that their ongoing exercise remains the real deal as it is being monitored by both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Ward Congress Committee.

The faction’s publicity secretary, Ihomun, told our correspondent that, “Yes, our ward congress is being monitored by INEC. INEC have monitored our ward congresses at every ward headquarters and the Ward Congress Committee.”

However, an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who declined to have his name in print, told our correspondent that the commission was unaware of any factions within the party.

He noted that INEC is working with the committee sent from the national secretariat of the APC to monitor the exercise in the state.

Rex Ogwuche, a political analyst, however, believes that the two factions may eventually harmonise the outcomes of their respective elections in the interest of peace and effective governance in the state.

Ogwuche, in a conversation with our correspondent, maintained that there would likely be a meeting point for both sides after the exercise, stressing that “there would be no victor and no vanquished.”

He noted that ward congresses are foundational to party stability, as they determine grassroots leadership and influence delegate composition for higher level primaries, meaning that the emergence of parallel structures at ward level signals a potential struggle for control of the party machinery in Benue.

The face-off between Governor Alia and the SGF Akume, can be traced to the early days of the administration, when key appointments were made without accommodating the SGF’s preferences. 

Akume had reportedly recommended Engr. Nick Wende, a former Commissioner for Environment, for the position of Secretary to the State Government (SSG), but the governor appointed Professor Joseph Alkali instead. The disagreement deepened when the state chapter of the APC forwarded a list of preferred House leaders naming Jonathan Agbidye, then the only ranking APC member, as Majority Leader, only for the Assembly leadership to adopt a different list allegedly backed by the governor’s camp.

The rift widened with the reported removal of Comrade Agada from the party secretariat in Makurdi; the suspension of 13 lawmakers believed to be aligned with the SGF at the state Assembly, and the controversial ban on political activities in the state with each development reinforcing perceptions of growing power struggle for control of party structures and state institutions.

Critics of the governor accuse him of confronting not only Akume but also elements within the judiciary, the legislature, his cabinet, and even his own party hierarchy at the time the crisis reached a crescendo in August when the Benue State House of Assembly witnessed a controversial leadership change allegedly to have been influenced by the executive.

 In the same vein, Akume’s critics think he should allow the governor to exercise firm control of the party and the state’s resources at his disposal.

Although, two court rulings have favoured the SGF’s faction over their ousting from the party secretariat, however, the Agada leadership had not been allowed access into the APC premises in Makurdi.

Therefore, the crisis continued to persist in spite of interventions from more powerful personalities like the paramount traditional ruler, Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse and even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  when he visited Benue in June, last year.

In the meantime, the dual congresses, conducted by rival factions laying claim to legitimacy, indicated the worsening cracks within the ruling party in the state with some party faithfuls already expressing concerns that the parallel exercises could further compound internal divisions and trigger prolonged legal and political battles.

For now, the Benue APC appears trapped in a cycle of internal brawls, with no immediate resolution in sight as party loyalists await possible intervention from the national leadership in the days ahead.