Activity earlier than Benue APC reconciliation committee amid Akume-Alia Chilly Battle

President Bola Tinubu just lately constituted a reconciliation committee to wade into the interior disaster between Senator George Akume and Governor Hyacinth Alia, in a bid to reposition the occasion forward of the 2027 elections. JOHN CHARLES writes on the duty forward of the committee

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu just lately appointed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, to guide the reconciliation crew that will resolve the interior disaster bedeviling the All Progressive Congress in Benue State.

Different members of the committee embody Yobe State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; the Senior Particular Assistant to the President on Political Issues, Alhaji Ibrahim Mazzen; and the Chief of Workers to the Speaker, Professor Jake Dan-Azumi, who’s to function the secretary of the committee.

The mandates of the committee is to amongst others, to handle and resolve the interior disaster throughout the occasion within the state, examine the basis trigger(s) of factionalism and disunity within the state chapter of the occasion and to interact key stakeholders and occasion organs to realize reconciliation, suggest structural, procedural, and strategic reforms for sustainable peace and political cohesion.

The committee can be to make suggestions for presidential consideration.

Points at stake

The disaster between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Governor Hyacinth Alia is assuming a harmful dimension, with the as soon as robust and virile occasion already sliding into shreds within the state.

Following the supremacy battle by the 2 political bigwigs, the ruling occasion has since been factionalised, with one faction loyal to Akume, and the opposite to Alia.

As an illustration, in the course of the Tiv Day competition held on the J.S. Tarka Stadium, Gboko, on December 13, 2025, supporters of the 2 leaders brazenly locked horns, resulting in the stabbing of a perceived supporter of the SGF.

The APC Nationwide Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who was in attendance to obtain the distinguished Tiv chieftaincy title of Zegebar-U-Tiv by the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, witnessed the present of disgrace and pledged to intervene within the disaster.

Recalling the genesis of the disaster, the state Publicity Secretary of the Austin Agada-led State Working Committee of the occasion, Daniel Ihomun, said that the governor’s lack of recognition for the occasion stakeholders led to the factionalisation of the occasion within the state.

Based on him, the dearth of recognition of the stakeholders made the governor to represent a factional exco led by Benjamin Omakolo earlier than the Nationwide Working Committee intervened and constituted a caretaker committee that’s at the moment chaired by Benjamin Omale.

Ihomun added that the tenure of the state working committee led by Agada and dependable to the SGF nonetheless subsists with the pronouncement of the state Excessive Courtroom, which validated the Agada-led committee.

However the publicity secretary of the caretaker committee of the occasion loyal to Alia, James Orngunga, argued that the disaster within the occasion arose because of the occasion stakeholders not recognising that the governor remained the chief of the occasion within the state.

“This problem has been trashed out a number of occasions, that the governor of the state is the chief of the occasion within the state and can’t share such powers with anybody,” Orngunga as soon as stated.

He cited a number of cases the place Vice President Kashim Shetima pronounced that the governor of a state assumed the management of the occasion within the state.

Nonetheless, political analysts within the state noticed the fatherly roles of Senator George Akume in Benue politics however raised considerations in regards to the method wherein his political sons at all times raised arms in opposition to him as soon as they trip on his crest to the state’s most exalted seat.

One of many political analysts, Timothy Akeh, who went down reminiscence lane, recalled the disaster between Akume and his successors in workplace, Gabriel Suswam, adopted by Samuel Ortom and the incumbent Hyacinth Alia.

Based on Akeh, one factor that’s frequent amongst these three political sons of Akume is that as quickly as they trip on his (Akume) again to the plum seat, it’s like Chinua Achebe’s ebook ‘Issues Fall Aside,’ and the centre would now not stand.”

He additional famous that although the duo of Suswam and Ortom had, throughout their tenures, tried to construct their very own constructions, sadly, these constructions collapsed like a home of playing cards as quickly as they left workplace.

He alluded to the perceived Akume’s overbearing affect on the administration of the previous governors as the rationale for parting methods with their political godfather.

Akeh added, “It’s not shocking that the incumbent governor, Hyacinth Alia, can be following the identical path as a result of this problem has been within the public area.”

Barring his thoughts on the perceived overbearing affect of the political godfather on successive administrations, one of many occasion’s stakeholders within the state, Godwin Ikereve, submitted that the overbearing affect of Akume on his political sons in governance was chargeable for parting of how with their godfather on assumption of workplace.

Ikereve, a one-time member of the Home of Representatives and former Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benue State Council, decried the overbearing affect of the SGF on his political sons.

He stated, “That is within the public area. The query on the lips of everybody in Benue is, ‘why is Akume preventing each authorities he places in place?’ One factor is definite: when you assist somebody into workplace, you permit him to train his energy; there is no such thing as a have to share energy.

“It’s true, Akume has produced three governors after he left workplace in 2007, however he has been exercising an excessive amount of affect on them. My worry is that if he continues like this, it’ll get to a time when Benue individuals will revolt.”

Ikereve suggested the SGF to cease having pointless affect on these he helped put in workplace, and will cease parading himself because the chief of the occasion within the state.

He additionally cautioned the reconciliation crew to be honest of their choice and to not impose anybody on the occasion stakeholders, doing this, he stated, would assist in repositioning the occasion forward of 2027.

“I count on the committee to come back with open minds, and take heed to stakeholders however to not impose their very own mindset on us, it’s then the occasion can transfer ahead,” Ikereve stated.

In his personal view, a former member of the state Home of Meeting, Bem Mgutyo, identified that the chilly struggle between the SGF and the governor had affected the state and referred to as on the duo to sheathe their swords for peace to reign within the state.

Mgutyo stated, “My recommendation to the reconciliation committee is to enchantment to each leaders to sheathe their swords, the state is struggling because of the chilly struggle, there needs to be a gathering level, and the leaders ought to let go of their ego to have the ability to obtain peace.”

Talking on the perceived overbearing affect on the a part of Akume, Mgutyo suggested the SGF to look inward and discover out the rationale why each governor he positioned in workplace at all times parted methods with him after getting the state’s primary job.

He stated, “It is a nice query individuals within the state at all times ask, let’s be rational in our considering, there have to be an issue with the chief (Akume), he ought to look inwards. If he produces the fourth governor, the identical factor will occur.

“The overbearing affect on the governors is simply too overwhelming; among the many three governors he has put in workplace, solely Ortom waited for an extended time to desert him.

“Having had the total data of the issues, Alia didn’t wait earlier than he determined to place his foot down and determined to not share energy with anybody.”

Warring camps

The 2 warring camps within the ruling APC in Benue State have assured their readiness for the reconciliation committee to wade into the disaster rocking the occasion to have the ability to win the forthcoming elections.

Talking with our correspondent, the State Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee of the occasion loyal to Governor Alia, James Ornguga, described the structure of the committee as a welcome growth.

Ornguga famous that in the true sense of it, the issue of the occasion was a results of the chilly struggle between the governor and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and never solely factions.

He added that the perceived stakeholders who’re supporters of the SGF don’t wish to recognise that the governor because the chief of the occasion within the state.

Ornguga stated, “As soon as there may be collaboration with Akume and Alia, then the disaster within the occasion is over as a result of we, the supporters, will simply align with them and have a united and powerful occasion.

“The issue is solely on the governor and SGF, and out of hypocrisy, we, the supporters, determined to align, some with the governor and others with the SGF.

“My prayer is that by means of the committee, the 2 leaders ought to reconcile, as a result of the battle is unnecessary.”

In his submission, the state publicity secretary of the Agada-led faction loyal to the SGF, Daniel Ihomun, said that the opponents had been prepared for reconciliation.

“We would like our occasion to bounce again and be robust. We welcome the reconciliation committee, allow them to have an interface with the factions and reconcile the leaders,” Ihomun stated.

The onus now lies within the fingers of members of the reconciliation committee to reposition the occasion within the state forward of 2027 as some Benue residents who spoke to our correspondent declared that “APC in Benue is on life help.”

The end result of the reconciliation committee will decide its survival, the warring factions might be hoping.