Akume’s Absence From 2027 Campaign List Costly Ommission, Says North Central APC Stakeholders

George Okoh in Makurdi

A group known as Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders have argued that the absence of major stakeholders of the party in the region, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on the 2027 presidential campaign council list, was not just an omission, but a matter that must be urgently addressed to avoid alienating a critical bloc ahead of the elections.

The group in a statement signed by Chia Waya made available to journalists yesterday in Makurdi, insisted that any review of the Presidential Campaign Council must ensure meaningful inclusion of Benue State particularly the Tiv nation, warning against tokenism in the process.

The group described reports of a possible review of the council list by the Presidency as a welcome development, but cautioned that it must not be another exercise in tokenism dressed up as inclusion.

The stakeholders recalled that the original campaign list generated public outcry because it appeared to exclude critical stakeholders from the North Central, sidelined the Tiv people entirely, and skewed Christian representation, stressing that the outcry was a genuine reaction to a document that appeared to exclude critical stakeholders from the North Central, sidelined the Tiv people entirely, and skewed Christian representation to a point that could no longer be explained away as mere oversight.

The group which alleged that the list created the impression of a President willing to use and discard loyal hands once the votes had been counted, argued that Senator Akume, who signed the peace accord on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, remains a major rallying point for the APC in Benue and across the North Central an exclusion it described as worrisome.

“It must be stated in the clearest terms possible that Senator Dr. George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, remains a major rallying point for the APC in Benue and across the North Central. His absence from the list, whether in person or through a proxy who genuinely represents his political structure, cannot be dismissed as a minor omission. It is a glaring one,” the statement said.

The stakeholders also insisted that President Tinubu cannot afford to leave the Tiv people out of whatever review is being contemplated, describing the Tiv nation as a significant voting bloc whose absence from strategic positioning could carry serious political consequences.

They urged the President to apply his directive on automatic return to the campaign structure, advising that if he is finding it difficult to resolve the Benue question, he need only borrow a page from his own directive on automatic return.

“He has spoken of automatic return. Let it be understood that there can be no meaningful automatic return without the automatic inclusion of those who helped deliver the victories of 2023 in the first place,” they said.

The statement which described Benue and the Tiv people as a beautiful bride, warned however,that even the most beautiful bride grows tired of being courted without commitment, advising President Tinubu to use the opportunity created by the review of the campaign council list
to demonstrate that Benue’s loyalty in 2023 was not merely convenient, but genuinely valued as the time for token representation is over.

The group said what North Central, Benue and the Tiv people deserve is meaningful inclusion, strategic recognition, and a place commensurate with their political contribution in the scheme of things, pointing out that
if the Presidency truly seeks to consolidate support in the North Central ahead of 2027, the revised campaign council must reflect that reality.