By Achile Danjuma
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State was thrown into open confrontation on Tuesday as two rival factions held parallel state congresses in Makurdi, producing separate chairmen in a dramatic escalation of the party’s internal crisis, barely seven days after Vice President Kashim Shettima reportedly advised party stakeholders to close ranks.
Governor Hyacinth Alia presided over a congress that produced Benjamin Omale as state chairman, charging the newly elected executives to “serve with integrity and honesty.”
He described the ward, local government and state congresses conducted by his camp as seamless, peaceful, credible and transparent.
Addressing party faithful, Alia said the new leadership must regard its emergence as a call to service and dedication.
He commended members for their civility and patriotism, urging them to sustain unity and consolidate the party’s dominance in the state ahead of future elections.
In a parallel development, a rival congress aligned with George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), returned Austin Agada as state chairman for another four-year term.
The Agada-led congress, attended by stakeholders from the 23 local government areas, reaffirmed the existing State Executive Committee through a voice vote.
Speakers at the gathering pledged loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Akume and the Agada leadership, insisting that the Benue APC remains united under their structure.
In his acceptance speech, Agada thanked delegates for renewing his mandate, recalling that the party, once in opposition, was brought to power under his leadership.
He assured members that the executive would not betray their confidence.
Meanwhile, at the Alia-backed congress, Omale expressed gratitude to delegates for finding him worthy to serve, promising that the new executive would justify the trust reposed in it.
The unfolding development lays bare deep cracks within the Benue APC, with both camps claiming legitimacy and broad-based support.
While Alia’s allies described the congress at IBB Square as properly supervised and credible, the Agada faction maintained that its process was lawful, inclusive and binding.
With two chairmen now laying claim to the party’s structure in the state, the struggle for supremacy appears far from resolved, setting the stage for a defining battle over the soul of the APC in Benue as the 2027 political contest gradually takes shape.