The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has been plunged into a fresh leadership crisis following the conduct of parallel ward and local government congresses across the state’s 276 administrative wards.
The exercise, which took place on Wednesday, saw two distinct factions of the party conducting separate electoral processes, further deepening the rift between supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
In several local government areas, including Makurdi, Gboko, and Otukpo, two sets of party executives emerged, with both camps claiming legitimacy. The faction loyal to the State Working Committee, led by Comrade Austin Agada, maintained that their congresses followed the official guidelines provided by the APC National Secretariat. Conversely, the faction aligned with the Governor’s “State Caretaker Committee,” led by Benjamin Omale, insisted their exercise was the only one recognized by the state executive branch.
The brewing crisis follows months of legal and political skirmishes. Tensions reached a boiling point earlier this week when security agencies were reportedly deployed to the state party secretariat to prevent clashes between rival supporters.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to release an official statement on which of the two congresses it monitored, as required by the Electoral Act. Political observers warn that if the national leadership of the APC fails to intervene, the Benue chapter may face a repeat of the internal litigations that hampered the party’s cohesion during the 2023 primary season
Stakeholders within the party have expressed concern that the ongoing “supremacy battle” between the Governor and the SGF could jeopardize the party’s chances in future local government elections.