Benue APC Congress lawful, valid — Akume camp

The Benue State faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) aligned with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has maintained that the ward, local government and state congresses conducted by its group were legitimate and in line with party directives.

In a statement released by the Benue APC Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, the camp said the exercise was properly conducted and consistent with decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee.

According to the statement, more than 1,800 elected and statutory delegates participated in the state congress organized by the group.

It added that the gathering drew the presence of several party stakeholders, including two senators, nine members of the House of Representatives, sixteen lawmakers from the Benue State House of Assembly, twenty-three local government party chairmen and 276 ward chairmen.

The statement noted, “At the congress, the State Chairman Comrade Austin Agada and the State Executive Committee were affirmed for another four-year tenure, in line with the directive of the National Executive Committee of the party which approved the affirmation of existing party structures across the country.

The congress was duly monitored by both INEC and officials from the National Secretariat of the party.”

“The APC in Benue State remains united, focused, and resolute against political opportunists and power mongers. Our congress was solid, lawful, and firmly rooted in the decision of the National Executive Committee of the party,” the statement maintained.

However, the Benue State Government, led by Governor Hyacinth Alia, dismissed claims that parallel congresses were held in the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the governor’s Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, Chief Solomon Iorpev, the government described reports of a parallel APC congress as false and misleading.

The statement said, “There was only one state Congress in Benue State, held at IBB Square, Makurdi, where Dr Benjamin Omale emerged Chairman.

This Congress was conducted in the presence of representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Prof Sam Egwu, the REC and the National Working Committee (NWC) Election Congress Committee, led by Dr Auwal Isheyi, a delegation from the National Working Committee led by the Chairman, Nantawe Yilwatda,” the Benue state government explained.