A high-stakes peace meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State ended in confusion on Sunday, as Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, gave conflicting accounts of the resolutions reached during the closed-door session at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi. The meeting was convened to address the deepening crisis within the party, which has been marred by a bitter power struggle between Alia and Akume, a former governor of the state. Despite both leaders publicly reaffirming their commitment to peace, their divergent statements have cast doubt on the authenticity of any agreement, leaving party members and the public uncertain about the next steps.
Senator Akume, speaking to journalists after the meeting, claimed that stakeholders had agreed to grant automatic tickets to all elected APC officials, including the governor and members of the National and State Assemblies. He described the decision as a crucial move toward inclusiveness and party stability, emphasizing that Governor Alia’s apology for the prolonged crisis was a positive development. “We want everybody to have a place. We want inclusiveness in this party,” Akume stated, suggesting that the resolution was a consensus-driven effort to heal divisions.
However, Governor Alia quickly contradicted Akume’s claims, asserting that no such agreement had been reached. He dismissed the idea of automatic tickets as merely a personal opinion or “prayer,” reiterating that the national leadership of the APC, including President Bola Tinubu and the national chairman, had explicitly ruled out automatic ticket allocations. “The resolution is beyond both of us. The President and the national chairman have said there is nothing like an automatic ticket,” Alia said, underscoring the supremacy of national party directives over state-level discussions.
The governor explained that his apology was made in the spirit of peace and reconciliation, urging party members to prioritize unity and collective progress over personal ambitions. The Benue APC has been plagued by a protracted leadership crisis, resulting in the formation of parallel party structures and widespread factionalism. The Sunday meeting was widely viewed as a critical opportunity to resolve the impasse ahead of the 2027 general elections, but the conflicting narratives have instead heightened tensions.
Observers warn that the disagreement between Alia and Akume may deepen mistrust among party stakeholders, particularly as political alliances and strategies for the next election cycle begin to take shape. With no official communiqué released at the time of reporting, confusion remains about the actual outcomes of the meeting. The lack of clarity could further destabilize the party’s structure in Benue, a key political battleground in Nigeria’s north-central region. As the APC prepares for upcoming elections, the ability of its leaders to present a united front will be crucial to its electoral success.
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