BENUE APC: ALIA, SGF CLASH OVER AUTOMATIC TICKET PLAN

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By: Muftau Fatimo

The All Progressives Congress peace and reconciliation meeting in Benue State was held on Sunday, but its outcomes were interpreted differently by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Governor Hyacinth Alia.

Acting on President Bola Tinubu’s directive, Akume convened the gathering of party stakeholders in Makurdi.

Held at the Government House, the meeting, according to the SGF, was aimed at restoring lasting peace to the ongoing crisis within the party in the state.

Speaking with journalists after the session, Akume emphasized that achieving peace was the central objective of the meeting.

Akume added that part of the resolution was an automatic ticket for all elective officers, from the governor to all members of the National and State Assemblies.

The SGF further said that the governor had apologised for all the crises in the party in the state.

Senator Akume said, “Where we went wrong, we want to get back and we want everybody to have a place, we want inclusiveness in this party.

“Secondly, the Rev. Fr. (governor) said he was sorry, which is very good. He told us he was sorry for what had happened.

“And of course again, all those elected on the platform of the APC, from the State Assembly to the National Assembly must still come back. It’s automatic, they must come back and Fr must return to us. Those are the issues we discussed.”

But the state governor countered the SGF while fielding questions from journalists after the meeting.

According to him, the President and the national chairman of the party had emphasised that there is no automatic ticket for any candidate in the party.

He acknowledged that, as a responsible leader, he offered an apology in order to foster peace within the party.

Governor Alia said, “We all agreed to come together under one roof, and the essence of this is to reconcile with one another and find common ground, as we previously operated.

“This is to work for the progress of our party and the development of the APC in the state and the nation at large. We cannot afford to deny the citizens of the state the benefits of this opportunity.”

“For those who were aggrieved, I have to apologize on behalf of every member of APC. By doing that, it was deliberate as a responsible leader of the party.”

Speaking on the resolution of the party, the governor said that it was beyond him and the SGF.

“The resolution is beyond both of us because APC has told us plainly and Mr President has mentioned several times, as well as the national chairman of APC, all said there is no automatic ticket.

“What the SGF said was a prayer and not a resolution, but a prayer to people to see how they can support those who are serving currently. That is not what the President and national chairman said. It was an appeal and prayer to the citizens of the state to be able to bring these people back.”

The ruling APC in the state has faced serious turmoil in the past three years due to a leadership tussle between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and the state governor, Hyacinth Alia.

The struggle for control of the party structure has pitched the governor against his political godfather and party stakeholders, thus splitting the party into two factions.

The groups had, in the last congresses, produced separate working committees from ward to state level.