According to a report by Vanguard on Sunday, May 10, 2026, fresh divisions have emerged within the All Progressives Congress in Benue State following conflicting interpretations of a high-level reconciliation meeting involving Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The peace meeting, held at the Government House in Makurdi, was organised to address long-standing disagreements between supporters of both political leaders ahead of the 2027 elections. The gathering attracted major stakeholders within the party, including former Governor Gabriel Suswam and several lawmakers.
Tension escalated after Akume suggested that elected APC lawmakers should be returned automatically alongside the governor in the next election cycle. His remarks sparked controversy within the party, with members of Alia’s camp rejecting claims that any agreement on automatic tickets was reached during the meeting.
Responding to the development, Governor Alia dismissed the claim and insisted that the reconciliation effort was not convened to negotiate political concessions or guaranteed returns for officeholders.
“I think that is beyond both of us, the APC has made it clear, Mr. President and the National Chairman have reiterated several times that there is no automatic ticket. What he said is more of a prayer than a resolution,” Alia stated.
The disagreement deepened after a purported communique containing references to automatic tickets surfaced online, triggering outrage among Alia’s supporters. Members of the drafting committee later denied approving such a document, insisting that discussions focused strictly on restoring peace and unity within the party.
Benue Deputy Governor, Samuel Ode, who chaired the communique committee, distanced the panel from the leaked publication, describing it as misleading and unauthorised. Other members of the committee also maintained that no formal resolution supporting automatic tickets was adopted at the meeting.
Despite the renewed dispute, party leaders expressed hope that ongoing dialogue and intervention by national APC figures could still prevent further divisions within the Benue chapter ahead of the 2027 political contest.
