..alleges plot against Alia’s re-election
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Benue State All Progressives Congress, APC, Tinubu/Alia Campaign Council, has opposed the emergence of the Senator George Akume-led Strategic Alliance for Tinubu/Shettima Re-election 2027, alleging that the group is being used as a platform to undermine Governor Hyacinth Alia’s political fortunes ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The party expressed concern over the involvement of some prominent APC chieftains, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, in the alliance, which it claimed also accommodates opposition figures and governorship candidates.
The Director-General of the Tinubu/Alia 2027 Campaign Council in Benue State, Citizen Richard Asema, stated the party’s position during a press briefing insisting that the alliance was unnecessary and could create divisions within the APC while threatening its electoral prospects in the state.
Asema said, “The Benue State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) views with serious concern the purported formation of the ‘Strategic Alliance For Tinubu/Shettima Re-election 2027’ by some political individuals and groups and the subsequent announcement of a Campaign Council for the re-election of our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The Party observes that this ‘Strategic Alliance’ is populated by some members of the APC, some of whom are holding senior positions in the Federal Government of Nigeria, including Senator George Akume, Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) and Prof Joseph Utsev, Hon. Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation.
“A critical look at the membership of this so-called Campaign Council reveals that governorship candidates of other political parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), as well as officers of some other minority parties, are members of the Group and its ‘Campaign Council’.
“The APC in Benue State under the leadership of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia and the Chairmanship of Benjamin Omale, wishes to strongly reject this purported Strategic Alliance and its Campaign Council.
“This Council, to say the least, is contemptuous and injurious to the fortunes of APC and its electioneering machinery in the state as being coordinated by His Excellency, Rev Fr Dr Hyacinth Alia.
“From all credible intelligence available to the party, this Strategic Alliance has a hidden agenda, which is to sabotage the election of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia in the 2027 elections, while masquerading as supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The APC in Benue State recently constituted a comprehensive Campaign Council with over 900 loyal and credible party leaders as members. In fact, most members of the so-called Strategic Alliance were appointed into the Council, which was publicly inaugurated on Thursday, 5th November at the IBB Square, Makurdi.
“Soon after the Council membership was announced, these same persons hastily declared that they won’t participate in the activities of the Council.
“It is regrettable that some APC members have fallen prey to this political gimmick by allowing themselves to be used for this act of political mischief.
“We wish to state unequivocally that Benue State is fundamentally and evidentially a strong base of the APC. The party is well grounded, popular and loved by the people of Benue State. By God’s grace, APC will win the 2027 elections decisively with a higher margin of votes than it did in 2023.
He noted that in the 2023 elections, the party not only won the governorship seat but also delivered President Bola Tinubu and secured two of the three senatorial seats stressing that today, it controls 27 of 32 State Assembly seats, 10 of 11 House of Representatives seats, 23 Local Government Chairmanship positions and all 276 elected councillorship seats across the state.
The Director-General insisted that Governor Alia’s achievements in infrastructure, industrial development, job creation and education, including the employment of 9,700 teachers, had further boosted his popularity.
“His prompt payment of salaries and pensions, alongside the clearance of outstanding arrears, has also strengthened public confidence in his administration.
“APC doesn’t need any alliance to win the 2027 elections and hereby warns against any attempt to confuse the teeming members of the party and the good people of Benue State, who are already poised to vote for the party at the forthcoming elections.
“From the foregoing, we advise APC members in the Strategic Alliance to disengage forthwith, retrace their steps and regroup with the mainstream leadership of the Party under Governor Hyacinth Alia.”
The Campaign Council vowed to deliver victory for President Tinubu and Governor Alia in the forthcoming polls.
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