Benue APC Crisis: Akume Allies Disown Alia’s Campaign Council

Key points at a glance

• The Alliance for Truth and Democracy (ATD) said on 3 November that Governor Alia lacks the “moral authority” to constitute an APC campaign council while, in its view, fighting his own party.
• The Benue APC chapter released a joint campaign council for President Bola Tinubu and the governor. Reports say the list names Akume as a member, while the governor is listed as chairman.
• A group linked to Akume, the Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027, has disowned the structure and objected to the listing of its leaders and candidates.
• No public statement from Akume himself confirming that he agreed to join the council has been found in the reports reviewed for this article.
• The council is due to be inaugurated on Thursday, 5 November, in Makurdi.

What the ATD said

In a statement dated 3 November 2026 and signed by its president, Jerome Zoho, the ATD said it had observed “with serious concern” the governor’s attempt to constitute and present an APC campaign council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group described the move as presumptuous. It argued that a governor who is, in its words, in a legal battle against his own party over the emergence of candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections cannot claim the role of uniting and directing that same party in an election campaign.

The ATD went further. It accused the governor of supervising what it called the fraudulent issuance of tickets to handpicked candidates, and of turning to litigation to force their recognition as the authentic APC flag bearers. It said the governor had chosen “confrontation and judicial warfare” rather than settling disputes through party mechanisms.

These are the ATD’s claims and opinions. Daily Talk has not independently verified the allegation of fraud, and the governor’s office has not, in the reports reviewed, responded to the group directly. Readers should treat the statement as the position of a political organisation, not as established fact.

The group also made four other major points:

1. The President’s authority. It said the governor has shown a pattern of disregarding the counsel and directives of President Tinubu, the APC’s national leader, who it said has repeatedly pushed for reconciliation and unity ahead of 2027.
2. The Benue Strategic Alliance disclaimer. It called the alliance’s decision to distance itself from the council evidence of a “crisis of confidence” around the governor’s leadership of the party.
3. Respect for Senator Akume. It described him as the founder and foremost political leader of the APC in Benue and said any attempt to sideline him would be an affront to the party’s history and a recipe for further disunity.
4. Unanswered questions. It asked what moral authority the governor has, what credibility the council can command when some listed stakeholders have rejected their inclusion, and how he can claim to protect the President’s political interests in the state.

How the campaign council row began

The latest crisis started earlier this week. According to Vanguard, the APC State Organising Secretary, James Ornguga, announced on Monday a campaign council of about 500 members for President Tinubu and Governor Alia. The Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027, a platform associated with Akume, rejected the list almost immediately.

The alliance objected on several grounds. It faulted the inclusion of its conveners, Senator Jack Tilley-Gyado and Elder Simon Shango, as well as its candidates for the National Assembly and the Benue State House of Assembly. It also questioned an arrangement that, in its view, put the governor in the chair while listing Akume as an ordinary member.

The Daily Trust reported that the joint council named Akume alongside two senators believed to be loyal to him and some members of a faction led by state chairman Austin Agada. However, the paper noted that Agada himself was missing from the list, while another figure, Chief Benjamin Omale, who is described in different reports as a state chairman or factional chairman, was named.

That detail matters. It shows that the Benue APC is not simply split between “the governor’s side” and “the SGF’s side.” It also has competing claims about who holds party offices, and that makes every announcement, list and statement a possible flashpoint.

The New Telegraph reported that the alliance’s Director General, Chief Akange Audu, who is described as a close ally of Akume, formally distanced his group from the proposed inauguration. The paper described the crisis as having reached a crescendo as the two sides disagreed about the event.

Has Akume agreed to support Alia’s re-election?

This is the central question, and the honest answer is that the public record does not show that Akume agreed to be named on the council or to campaign for the governor.

Here is what can be said with confidence, based on published reports:

• His name is on the list. The Daily Trust and Vanguard both report that Akume was included, with Vanguard saying he was listed only as a member under the governor as chairman.
• His allies have rejected the list. The Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027, which is associated with Akume, said it did not recognise the structure and objected to the way its own people were named.
• His camp says it is campaigning for Tinubu. Leadership reported last week that Akume’s camp and the governor’s camp had started separate campaigns. A spokesperson for the Akume camp, Daniel Ihomun, said its loyalists were working for the President’s re-election and for APC candidates loyal to the party and to Akume, but, according to him, not for the governor.
• Akume has not been quoted. In the reports reviewed, there is no direct statement from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation saying he agreed to join the governor’s council or to back the governor’s second-term bid.

There is one important earlier moment. In May 2026, after a reconciliation meeting in Makurdi, Akume told journalists that members had agreed on a consensus to support Governor Alia’s return as the APC governorship candidate, according to the News Agency of Nigeria. That statement suggests that, in principle, Akume had accepted the governor’s candidacy at that stage.

But a general agreement on a candidate is not the same as agreeing to a specific campaign council, its leadership structure, or the names on it. The current dispute appears to be about process and respect as much as about the governor’s candidacy itself: who announced the list, who was consulted, who chairs it and where the party’s founding leader sits.

Until Akume or his office speaks directly, the question of whether he consented to his name appearing on the council remains open. Daily Talk will update this report if there is a response.

For more of our coverage of the contest for the governor’s seat, see our report on the 160 candidates jostling for governorship seats in 11 states.

The rift between the governor and the SGF: a timeline

The current row did not come out of nowhere. It is the latest chapter in a long contest over who controls the APC in Benue.

2023: Alia wins the governorship. Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic priest, won the 2023 Benue governorship election on the APC platform and took office on 29 May 2023. Akume, who governed the state from 1999 to 2007 under the PDP, is widely regarded as the senior political leader of the APC in Benue.

Early 2026: reports of a frosty relationship. Century Newspaper reported, citing multiple sources within the party, that the long-running disagreement between the two men widened after reported moves to replace the governor with another candidate as the party’s flag bearer. The report said the governor kept the ticket. The same report described the relationship between the two men as frosty and noted that each has advantages: Akume’s position gives him leverage at the federal level, while the governor has the powers of incumbency.

3 May 2026: a peace meeting. The two men announced a reconciliation after a meeting of party stakeholders in Makurdi. The governor had earlier written to Akume and other leaders, inviting them to what he described as an internal meeting aimed at bringing everyone together. After the meeting, Akume said members had agreed to rebuild an inclusive party and to support the governor’s return as candidate.

The tickets dispute. According to the Guardian, Akume had reportedly asked for automatic tickets for incumbent National Assembly and State House of Assembly members seeking re-election. The governor opposed that proposal and insisted that every aspirant, including himself, should face direct primaries.

17 May 2026: primaries. The Guardian reported that the governor’s loyalists won several contests, defeating allies of Akume, including the incumbent senators for Benue North-East and Benue North-West, Emmanuel Udende and Titus Zam, and three members of the House of Representatives.

June to July 2026: the national party steps in. Leadership reported that Akume’s loyalists later secured the party’s final senatorial and House of Representatives tickets submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), replacing candidates earlier declared winners from the governor’s camp. The Guardian reported that the APC’s National Working Committee overruled the governor on the list, with none of the aspirants loyal to him and to the Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, making the final list. Another report said the governor’s camp and Akume’s camp each ended up with seven National Assembly tickets, which is a tense balance of power.

October 2026: parallel campaigns. Leadership reported that the two camps had begun parallel campaigns across the state. The state publicity secretary of the APC, Benedict Yawe, said those working for the governor were “the real members of APC” and insisted that the party’s hands were open for the other side to join.

2 to 3 November 2026: the campaign council. The joint council list is released, the Benue Strategic Alliance rejects it, and the ATD issues its statement.

This timeline shows a pattern. Each time the two sides reach a truce, a fresh disagreement over tickets, structures or recognition reopens the wound.

The legal battle at the centre of the ATD’s argument

The ATD built much of its argument on the claim that the governor is suing his own party. It is worth looking at what the public record says about the court case.

A suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, asked the court to stop the APC from replacing candidates who, the plaintiff said, emerged from the party’s primaries in Benue, except in cases of voluntary withdrawal, death or disqualification. The plaintiff was an aspirant for the House of Assembly, Sesugh Kaaba.

According to Leadership, Justice Inyang Ekwo struck out the suit about three weeks ago because the plaintiff did not have the legal standing, known as locus standi, to bring it. The court did not decide the main question of whether the APC could lawfully substitute the candidates.

Vanguard separately reported, earlier in the process, that aspirants loyal to the governor had approached the Federal High Court over the outcome of the National Assembly primaries. The Tribune reported that Ihomun, speaking for the Akume camp, questioned how the governor’s name could have been submitted to INEC when, according to him, the governor had been joined in a suit.

Two points follow. First, the dispute in court is mostly about candidates for the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly, which is also what the ATD said. Second, the reports reviewed do not establish that the governor personally filed the case as claimed by the ATD. Daily Talk could not independently confirm whether the governor is a direct party to any live action against the APC. That claim should be treated as the ATD’s characterisation until the court records or the governor’s office say otherwise.

The President’s role

The ATD placed President Tinubu at the centre of its statement. It said the President has repeatedly shown his commitment to unity and reconciliation, and that the governor’s conduct frustrates that effort.

The reports reviewed support the idea that the President wanted peace. NAN reported that, at the May meeting, Akume conveyed the President’s message on party unity and urged elected APC officials to work together. The meeting’s resolutions were presented as a sign of a united Benue APC.

But the later months show that the peace did not hold. The party’s National Working Committee reordered the lists, and the two camps are now running separate campaign activities, even as both say they are working for the President’s re-election.

The governor’s side has a different account. Its spokespeople say the governor’s group represents the genuine party structure and that others should join it. Neither side is saying it opposes the President. Both are claiming to be his best representative in Benue, which is exactly why the campaign council has become such a sensitive matter. Whoever controls the official campaign structure can claim to speak for the President’s re-election effort in the state.

For related coverage of grassroots mobilisation for the President, see our report on how BTO4PBAT is rallying Ondo youths for Tinubu.

Why a campaign council matters

For many readers, a campaign council can sound like a ceremonial list of names. In Nigerian politics, it is much more.

A campaign council decides how party money is spent, which local leaders are given roles and which communities get attention. It decides who appears on the stage at rallies and who speaks for the candidate on television. It also signals who is on the inside of a campaign and who is outside it.

When a list is published without the agreement of the people named on it, it can be read in two ways. Supporters may see it as an honest attempt to include everyone, with details to be worked out. Critics may see it as an attempt to use famous names to give the structure a legitimacy it does not have.

The ATD took the second view. It said it was unacceptable that individuals who had committed themselves to mobilising support for the President’s re-election should have their identities and affiliations used without consent. The Benue Strategic Alliance made a similar point about its conveners and candidates.

The governor’s side sees it differently. Its spokespeople say the party remains open to everyone and that those who are not on board are free to come in.

What the governor’s camp says

In the reports reviewed, the governor’s side has not responded directly to the ATD’s statement. It has, however, repeatedly set out its general position.

In May, the governor said the reconciliation meeting was deliberate and aimed at bringing everyone back together. He said the interests of Benue must come above personal ambition and told the gathering that unity must prevail. Earlier, he had said that nobody should be left behind in the party.

In October, Yawe said the party’s “hands are open” so that both sides could campaign together. That language suggests the governor’s camp is still presenting itself as the party’s main structure and the other side as the one that has chosen to stay away.

Daily Talk will publish any response from the governor’s office, the state APC or the SGF’s office when it is available.

What this means for the 2027 elections

The immediate risk for the APC is not that its candidates will vanish from the ballot. They are on the INEC list. The risk is that its energy will be spent on internal disputes rather than on persuading voters.

In a state where the opposition is also active, a divided ruling party hands rivals a ready-made argument. The PDP in Benue, for instance, has already been attacking the governor’s handling of state finances. A public fight within the APC makes it easier for opponents to say that the party cannot manage itself, let alone the state.

There is also a practical problem for candidates. Many of those who won tickets are tied to one camp or the other. If the two camps keep separate structures, a National Assembly candidate may find that the governor’s machine and the SGF’s machine are both working for the President, but not for each other’s candidates. That could make it harder to win in tight constituencies.

For readers who want to follow the wider contest for votes, our Election Countdown page tracks the days to the polls, and our Politics section carries the latest developments in Benue and across the country.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Governor Hyacinth Alia? He is the governor of Benue State. A Catholic priest, he won the 2023 election on the APC platform and is seeking a second term in 2027, according to published reports.

Who is George Akume? He is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and a former governor of Benue State. He is widely described as the founder and top political leader of the APC in the state.

What is the Alliance for Truth and Democracy? The ATD is a political group whose president, Jerome Zoho, signed the 3 November statement. It is not a party officeholder in the APC, and its views should be read as the views of that group.

What is the Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027? It is a political mobilisation platform associated with Akume. Its Director General is Chief Akange Audu, and it has said it does not recognise the council that was announced.

When is the campaign council due to be inaugurated? The inauguration is planned for Thursday, 5 November 2026, in Makurdi, according to the Daily Trust.

Has Akume agreed to the council? No public statement from him confirming this has been found. His allies have rejected the council, and his camp says it is campaigning for the President and for candidates loyal to the APC and to Akume.

What happens next

Several things will show whether the party can still be pulled back together.

First, watch Thursday’s inauguration. If prominent members of the Akume camp attend, that would signal that the dispute has been settled. If they stay away, the divide will look deeper.

Second, watch for a direct statement from Akume. A word from the SGF, either confirming or denying his role on the council, would settle the factual question at the heart of this story.

Third, watch the national party. The APC’s national leadership has already stepped in once to rework the candidate lists. It may be asked to step in again, or the President may personally intervene, as he reportedly did earlier.

Finally, watch the courts. The case that was struck out did not decide the main issue, and any new action could reopen the argument about who the party’s valid candidates are.

For now, two truths stand side by side. The governor’s side says the party is open and that its structure is the legitimate one. The SGF’s allies say they are working for the President but not through the governor’s council. The ATD says the governor has no moral authority to lead the campaign. Voters in Benue, who will decide the outcome in 2027, are watching to see which account holds up.

Related reading from Daily Talk

• Alia constitutes Benue Primary Health Care Board, approves 23 replacement appointments
• Benue diaspora in Plateau endorses Aondoakaa for 2027 governorship
• More politics news

Sources

• Vanguard: Akume’s allies disown Alia’s campaign council
• Daily Trust: Benue APC rival Tinubu campaign lists deepen factional rift
• New Telegraph: Akume-led faction distances self from Alia’s campaign launch
• Leadership: Alia, Akume camps embark on parallel campaigns in Benue
• News Agency of Nigeria: APC reconciles in Benue, backs Alia
• The Guardian: APC primaries, Alia and Akume loyalists take battle to Abuja
• The Guardian: APC NWC overrules Alia, Aiyedatiwa on candidates’ list
• Leadership: Court dismisses suit against Benue APC’s 2027 candidates
• Leadership: Akume beats Alia as loyalists win APC tickets in Benue
• Century Newspaper: Alia floors Akume in APC guber ticket tussle
• Tribune Online: Power tussle intensifies in Kwara, Benue
• Vanguard: Alia moves to reconcile APC stakeholders in Benue