2027: Akume’s allies disown Alia’s campaign council as Benue APC supremacy war deepens

By Peter Duru, Makurdi A fresh supremacy battle has erupted in the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, following the rejection of about 500-man campaign council for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia by the Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027, a political mobilisation platform associated with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume.

The disagreement followed Monday’s announcement by the APC State Organising Secretary, James Ornguga, of a joint campaign council for Tinubu and Alia ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party also fixed Thursday, November 5, for the inauguration of the council in Makurdi, with a supplementary list expected to be released later. However, the Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027, in a disclaimer issued Tuesday and signed by its Director-General, Chief Akange Audu, disowned the purported campaign structure, alleging that the names of its conveners, members and political candidates had been included without their authorisation.

The Alliance specifically faulted the inclusion of its conveners, Senator Jack Tilley-Gyado, and Elder Simon Shango, as well as its candidates for the National Assembly and Benue State House of Assembly, in the list of the purported Alia campaign council. It stated, “for the avoidance of doubt, the Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027 categorically dissociates itself from the said publication and disowns any claim or suggestion that the individuals mentioned therein are associated with, or constitute members of, the purported Alia Campaign structure.” The group further questioned the political arrangement that reportedly placed Governor Alia as chairman of the campaign council while listing Akume, whom it described as the founder and foremost political leader of the APC in Benue State, as merely a member.

According to the Alliance, “We find it particularly contentious that a purported Alia Campaign structure would designate Governor Hyacinth Alia as its Chairman while listing the Founder and foremost political leader of the APC in Benue State, Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, merely as a member.” The Akume-aligned group alleged that “since the APC secured victory in the 2023 general elections, the party’s established leadership and structures have, in practical terms, been sidelined by the Alia administration.

This has contributed to the divisions and disagreements currently affecting the party in the state.” Despite rejecting the campaign council, the group insisted that “the Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027 remains committed to its stated mandate of mobilising support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. “Our political engagement also extends to supporting APC candidates for the National Assembly and the Benue State House of Assembly who emerge from the list and leadership direction recognised by our leader, Sen.

George Akume.” The Alliance also took a swipe at the Alia-led administration, saying “we remain concerned about the hardship experienced by the people of Benue State under the present administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia. We believe that the 2027 political process should provide an opportunity for constructive engagement on governance, accountability, party unity and the welfare of our people.

“The Alliance is an independent and clearly structured political mobilisation platform. Its identity, leadership and membership cannot be appropriated, manipulated or misrepresented through unauthorised publications. “We therefore urge APC State, Local Government, Ward Executives, stakeholders, members and the general public to disregard the purported publication.”