Akume vs Alia: Benue APC war reaches Abuja as candidates fear substitution

The lingering crisis within the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly shifted to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, amid growing fears among candidates that the outcome of the recently concluded primaries could still be altered.

The development follows the controversial primaries conducted across the state, which have continued to generate tension among party stakeholders, with allegations of irregularities, imposition of candidates and claims of exclusion from various camps.

At the centre of the dispute is the escalating power struggle between supporters of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and loyalists of Governor Hyacinth Alia, a contest many party observers believe is now shaping the battle for control of the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Multiple sources within the party disclosed that intense lobbying and behind-the-scenes manoeuvres are ongoing at the APC national secretariat, with efforts allegedly being made to review, alter or substitute some of the candidates who emerged from the primaries.

The situation has reportedly thrown several aspirants and candidates into panic amid uncertainty over the final list that will eventually be recognised by the party leadership and forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Party insiders said the struggle is no longer about the conduct of the primaries alone but reflects the broader contest for political supremacy between the Akume and Alia camps, both seeking to consolidate their influence within the ruling party in Benue State.

IDOMA VOICE gathered that many National Assembly candidates may be among those most affected if the ongoing petitions and appeals lead to a review of the primary election outcomes.

Recall that six members of the House of Representatives and two serving senators on the platform of the APC lost their re-election bids during the primaries. Most of the affected lawmakers were believed to be loyal to Senator Akume.

Among those defeated were Senators Emmanuel Udende and Titus Zam, representing Benue North-East and Benue North-West Senatorial Districts respectively. Other Akume loyalists who lost their bids include incumbent House of Representatives members Terseer Ugbor, Asema Achado and Dickson Tarkighir.

However, Akume’s wife, Regina Akume, secured the APC ticket for the Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of the exercise, several aspirants and stakeholders reportedly petitioned the APC Appeal Committee and the National Working Committee (NWC), alleging irregularities in the conduct of the primaries and demanding a review of the results.

Spokesman for Akume’s camp, Daniel Ihomun, confirmed that aggrieved aspirants were awaiting the decision of the party’s national leadership.

“What happened in Benue during the APC primaries was a charade. Aggrieved aspirants have petitioned the APC Appeal Committee and are waiting for the final decision of the APC NWC in Abuja on the recent primaries conducted in Benue. Only the APC presidential primary was genuinely conducted in the state. I can tell you that there is no faction in Benue APC,” he said.

In Benue South, the controversy has taken a different dimension, with one of the aspirants, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, accusing a party chieftain, Moses Ternenge, of imposing a candidate on the people of the zone.

Onjeh eventually withdrew from the race, paving the way for former lawmaker, Hon. Otah Agbo, to emerge as the APC senatorial candidate for Benue South.

However, several aspirants who participated in the primaries have remained dissatisfied with the outcome and have reportedly submitted petitions to the party’s national headquarters seeking redress.

Sources told Idoma Voice that some candidates are worried that their names may not survive the ongoing review process, amid speculations that the APC leadership could revisit some of the disputed primaries before the final list of candidates is released.

“Many of those celebrating today may be disappointed tomorrow. From what we are hearing in Abuja, some of the names that emerged from the primaries may not make the final list. There is serious pressure on the party leadership to revisit some of the disputed contests,” a party source told Idoma Voice.