The power tussle rocking the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a dramatic turn as rival camps loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, produced parallel ward executives after Wednesday’s congress.
What was meant to be a routine party exercise has now deepened the bitter rift that has festered since Governor Alia’s inauguration in 2023, splitting the ruling party in the state into two hardened factions.
Following the ward congress conducted across Benue, both camps emerged claiming legitimacy.
The Austin Agada-led executive, loyal to Akume, declared that the congress simply reaffirmed existing ward executives for another term. But the governor’s loyalists countered sharply, insisting that fresh executives were produced through consensus, arguing that the tenure of the previous officers had expired.
Daniel Ihomun, Publicity Secretary of the Agada-led faction, congratulated what he described as reaffirmed ward leaders, maintaining that the process followed party directives.
“We heartily congratulate all ward executives who were affirmed by their respective congresses to continue in office for another tenure of four years.
“Your reaffirmation is a demonstration of the confidence reposed in you by party faithful. We urge you to justify this trust by remaining transparent, inclusive, dedicated and committed to strengthening the party at the grassroots.
“The mandate given to you is a call to service, not an avenue for personal interest,” he said.
He also praised Akume’s role in holding the party together, describing his leadership as stabilizing for the APC in Benue.
“With the remarkable success recorded at the ward congresses, the Benue State APC is more united, focused and determined than ever to consolidate its strength and mobilise effectively towards delivering victory for Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027,” he added.
James Ornguga, Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee loyal to the governor, dismissed the reaffirmation claim, insisting that new executives were elected through consensus and that the tenure of the previous leadership had lapsed.
“What happened during our ward congresses yesterday was consensus; there were no guidelines for old executives to be returned. Their tenure has elapsed.
“In the case of ward executives, their tenure elapsed in July 2025; local government executives’ tenure elapsed in September 2025, while the state executives’ tenure ended on February 8 this year. So, the lifespan of the entire executives has officially ended,” he said.
With two sets of executives now claiming authority, the APC in Benue appears locked in an internal battle, raising fresh questions about unity in the party ahead of 2027.
