Endless Political Tussle in Benue APC

A group, which identified itself as the North-central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum recently advised the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to desist from actions that could force Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to leave the party.

Akume was instrumental to the victory of the governor in the 2023 general election in the state.

But there has been a lingering political crisis between Akume and Alia’s loyalists, indicating that the relationship between the governor and his godfather has gone sour.

Though the actual cause of the dispute is unknown, many residents of the state believe the crisis is certainly not in the best interest of the state.

At a point, the political crisis became so embarrassing that the Tiv Traditional Council led by the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, once brokered peace between some of the warring factions.

For a state where residents are being killed almost on a daily basis by bandits and terrorists and thousands are in IDP camps because they have been sacked from their communities by bandits, many would think that all hands would be on deck to fight the common enemies. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Instead, the political actors appear to be fiddling while the state is burning.

Recently, the APC group expressed the fears that if the supremacy tussle between the warring factions continues, it could force the governor to leave the APC like his predecessor, Samuel Ortom, who left the party for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018.

They further warned that if their disagreement is not resolved, it could affect the party’s chances in the state in the 2027 election.

However, the APC group should realise that what matters to the people of Benue State is not the selfish interest of any political party but peace and stability of the state.

What matters to the people is how to bring the senseless killings to an end and not the party that will win or lose in 2027.