Benue: Gov Alia faces expulsion threat over alleged betrayal of APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) League, a faction within Nigeria’s ruling party, has called for the immediate expulsion of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, accusing him of gross misconduct and anti-party activities.

In a strongly worded statement signed by its National President, John Ogiri, the group said Governor Alia’s actions have repeatedly undermined party unity, internal structures, and loyalty to the APC. The group cited his absence from the recent APC National Summit, where 21 governors publicly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, as a glaring sign of his disconnect from the party’s leadership.

“The governor’s conspicuous absence at the summit, and his last-minute, face-saving appearance just minutes before it ended, clearly reflected his lack of commitment to the APC,” the statement said.

The group also accused Alia of sidelining the APC structure in Benue by marginalizing the State Executive Committee, avoiding party meetings, and allegedly aligning with Senator Gabriel Suswam and other political actors hostile to the APC’s interest.

They further claimed that Alia has been quietly preparing to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), deepening internal divisions and weakening the APC’s position in the state.

“For over a year, Governor Alia has deliberately avoided party organs and alienated stakeholders. His allies are now visibly embedded in the ADC while the APC structure in Benue is being crippled,” the statement alleged.

The APC League also criticized the governor’s refusal to cooperate with multiple reconciliation efforts initiated by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), insisting that his continued defiance must not be tolerated.

They urged the NWC to enforce party discipline by expelling Alia and fully reinstating Austin Agada as the legitimate APC Chairman in Benue, citing his leadership in delivering major electoral victories for the party across the state in the 2023 general elections.

“The APC is greater than any individual. Alia rode to power on the back of this structure and is now treating it with disdain,” the statement concluded.