Benue APC peace talks crumble as Alia, Akume disagree on automatic tickets for loyalists

What was projected as a major reconciliation breakthrough within the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to be rapidly unravelling, following the dramatic rejection of a controversial communique by Deputy Governor Sam Ode.

The latest development has exposed deepening distrust within the party and raised fresh concerns over the fragile peace deal brokered between loyalists of Governor Hyacinth Alia and the camp of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

At the centre of the controversy is a purported communique that surfaced in several national newspapers on Tuesday, claiming that the APC stakeholders’ reconciliation meeting held on May 3 endorsed automatic tickets for elected officials, including National and State Assembly members, ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, in a move that has now thrown the entire reconciliation process into uncertainty, Ode publicly distanced himself and members of the drafting committee from the document, describing it as misleading and unauthorized.

The deputy governor, who chaired the communique drafting committee, said what was circulated to the media was merely a draft document still awaiting the approval of both Governor Alia and Senator Akume.

Speaking with journalists in Makurdi, Ode disclosed that the committee neither finalized nor signed any communique, insisting that only the governor and the SGF, as conveners of the peace meeting, possessed the authority to approve and release the final document.

“At no point did we recommend automatic tickets for National Assembly members, State Assembly members, or anybody at all,” Ode stated.

“We prepared a draft and forwarded it to the governor for vetting and approval. A copy was also sent to the SGF through the Minister of Water Resources for his input. What is being circulated does not represent our final work.”

The deputy governor further revealed that members of the committee were shocked to discover that their attendance register had allegedly been attached to the leaked document to create an impression of legitimacy.

“No member of the drafting committee signed that document. We only had an attendance register. It is shocking that someone took it and attached it to a so-called communique,” he said.

The controversy has once again exposed the widening cracks within the Benue APC, despite recent public attempts by both camps to portray unity after months of political tension.

Observers say the disagreement over automatic tickets reflects a deeper battle for political control ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly over who determines the structure and future direction of the party in the state.

While Senator Akume was reportedly interpreted to have supported the idea of retaining incumbent lawmakers, Governor Alia has continued to distance himself from any arrangement suggesting automatic return tickets.

Sources within the party say the issue has remained one of the major fault lines between loyalists of both leaders, especially as several political actors positioning for 2027 have intensified consultations across the state.

Further complicating the matter is the position earlier canvassed at the reconciliation meeting by the APC National Vice Chairman for North Central, Alhaji Mu’azu Rijau, who reportedly reaffirmed the party’s adoption of direct primaries for selecting candidates.

According to Ode, the adoption of direct primaries directly contradicts claims that the committee endorsed automatic tickets.

“There is no way we could have contradicted the position of the party by inserting automatic tickets into the communique,” he maintained.

Also corroborating the deputy governor’s position, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Moses Atagher, accused unnamed individuals of manipulating the draft document and leaking it prematurely.

Atagher insisted that Senator Akume never expressly demanded automatic tickets during the meeting but merely expressed hope that serving lawmakers could be returned, subject to the party’s constitution and guidelines.

He described the circulation of the draft as “the height of desperation.”

Political analysts believe the public disowning of the communique may significantly weaken confidence in the ongoing reconciliation effort, which many party faithful had hoped would finally end months of supremacy battles between the Alia and Akume blocs.

Despite the growing controversy, Ode maintained that the reconciliation process remains on course.

“Reconciliation is a journey, not a destination,” he said, expressing optimism that the APC would emerge stronger ahead of future elections.

But behind the official assurances, many stakeholders within the party now fear that the peace deal may have suffered a serious setback, with fresh suspicion and internal power struggles threatening to reopen old wounds within the Benue APC.