APC ward congress: Alia, Akume factions produce parallel excos in Benue

The management disaster between Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, and his political godfather, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, escalated following the ward congress of the All Progressives Congress held throughout the state on Wednesday.

The disaster, which started shortly after Alia’s inauguration in 2023, has cut up social gathering members into two factions.

After the ward congress, the factionalised teams produced parallel ward executives.

The Austin Agada-led govt, loyal to Akume, claimed that the congress held on Wednesday was a reaffirmation of the prevailing ward executives.

Nonetheless, loyalists of the governor instructed our correspondent that the congress, carried out via consensus throughout the state, produced new executives, arguing that the tenure of the earlier executives had formally expired.

Talking individually on Thursday, spokespersons for the 2 factions maintained that their actions have been consistent with directives from the social gathering’s nationwide secretariat.

Daniel Ihomun, the state Publicity Secretary of the Austin Agada-led faction loyal to the SGF, congratulated the ward executives, insisting that Wednesday’s congress affirmed the prevailing executives to proceed for one more four-year time period.

“We heartily congratulate all ward executives who have been affirmed by their respective congresses to proceed in workplace for one more tenure of 4 years.

“Your reaffirmation is an illustration of the boldness reposed in you by social gathering devoted. We urge you to justify this belief by remaining clear, inclusive, devoted and dedicated to strengthening the social gathering on the grassroots.

“The mandate given to you is a name to service, not an avenue for private curiosity,” he mentioned.

Whereas appreciating Akume for what he described as exemplary management and a fatherly function in holding the social gathering collectively, Ihomun mentioned the SGF’s steerage, expertise and dedication continued to offer stability and route for the social gathering within the state.

“With the outstanding success recorded on the ward congresses, the Benue State APC is extra united, centered and decided than ever to consolidate its energy and mobilise successfully in the direction of delivering victory for Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027,” he added.

Countering the reaffirmation declare, the state Publicity Secretary of the social gathering’s caretaker committee loyal to Alia, James Ornguga, mentioned new executives have been elected via consensus throughout Wednesday’s ward congress.

“What occurred throughout our ward congresses yesterday was consensus; there have been no pointers for previous executives to be returned. Their tenure has elapsed.

“Within the case of ward executives, their tenure elapsed in July 2025; native authorities executives’ tenure elapsed in September 2025, whereas the state executives’ tenure ended on February 8 this yr. So, the lifespan of your complete executives has formally ended,” he mentioned.