Alia, Akume Camps Embark On Parallel Campaigns In Benue

Two camps of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, controlled by Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, have started parallel 2027 campaigns across the state.

Both APC camps are campaigning separately for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While Governor Alia’s loyalists are mobilising for the re-election of Tinubu, the governor and others in their camp, Akume’s men are campaigning for Tinubu, Senators representing Benue North East and West, Emmanuel Udende and

Titus Zam, and a handful of House of Representatives and State House of Assembly APC candidates loyal to the SGF.

The Benue State chapter of the APC has been enmeshed in crisis shortly after the 2023 general elections, which defied any political solution.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP on why Alia and Akume loyalists are campaigning separately, the State Publicity Secretary of APC Benue State Chapter, Benedict Yawe, said, “We are working for APC. No candidate is on the ballot, it is APC that is on the ballot paper. We, the real members of APC, are campaigning for APC.”

Commenting on why APC members are not campaigning together, Yawe said all members of the ruling party are one. “Maybe that is their style of campaigning. We, APC in Benue State, our hands are open, let them come so that we can campaign together. I don’t know why they are yet to join us to campaign together.”

On the other hand, spokesperson of Akume’s APC camp, Daniel Ihomun, alleged that Governor Alia failed to reconcile all members of the party in Benue State ahead of the 2027 polls, stating that SGF loyalists are campaigning vigorously for Tinubu’s re-election and other APC candidates except Governor Alia.

According to Ihomun, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened to end the APC crisis in Benue. If you recall, we had an APC stakeholders meeting in Makurdi where the SGF Akume came out with a directive that President Tinubu has agreed that all elected members of our party should be allowed to run for a second term when the party in the state was divided. That was a way of trying to bring the party together. But Governor Alia refused to call the party together.”

Ihomun added, “There has never been a stakeholders meeting, or a meeting for both camps, or a committee sent to reconcile the party within the state. I know that other states like Nasarawa, Niger, and Ondo have reconciled, even APC members in Rivers State have found a way to reconcile themselves.”

“I believe that many members of our party are not campaigning for the re-election of Governor Alia because he has not consulted them. We are campaigning for the re-election of President Tinubu and APC candidates loyal to the APC and SGF Akume. So we are working with those who have consulted us. That’s all I can say for now,” he stated.