Gov Alia Opposes Akume’s Automatic Ticket Proposal In APC

A fresh crisis appears to be brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, as the fragile reconciliation between Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, appears to be breaking down.

Although a high-level peace meeting took place on Sunday, deep divisions remain, especially on the contentious issue of automatic tickets for elected officials ahead of the next election cycle.

The fallout from the 2023 general elections, when both leaders disagreed over control of the party structure and political appointments in the state, led to the crisis between Alia and Akume.

A quiet disagreement quickly erupted into a full-scale intra-party war, dividing the APC in Benue into two rival groups.

One faction, led by Austin Agada, was loyal to Akume while another, led by then-state chairman Ben Omakolo, sided with Governor Alia.

The tension peaked in March 2026 when both factions held parallel congresses, with both factions producing rival sets of party executives.

The faction backed by Alia, meanwhile, said its congress was held according to due process and represented the wishes of party members. But the Akume faction rejected the exercise and held a parallel congress that worsened the leadership crisis.

The APC national leadership eventually took a decisive step, by recognizing the congress conducted by the Alia faction, that produced Ben Omale as chairman. The action effectively sidelined Agada and weakened Akume’s grip on the party structure in the state.

President Bola Tinubu, concerned about the effect of the lingering crisis on the party’s electoral fortunes, intervened, urging both leaders to bury their hatchet and work together ahead of elections.

And Sunday’s meeting was viewed as a step in that direction. But rather than forging unity, it revealed new fault lines.

The renewed tension is based on a proposal made by Akume on the adoption of automatic tickets for Governor Alia and other elected APC officials in the state including members of the National and State Assemblies.

Sources who attended the meeting said Akume had pushed for automatic tickets to ensure continuity and reward loyalty, but the governor had rejected the proposal outright.

Alia reportedly stressed that all aspirants must go through a transparent primary process and warned of possible another internal crisis if candidates were imposed.

“He agreed on other terms but the issue of automatic tickets was outrightly turned down,” an insider said. He is not prepared to risk the party’s structure. “He also does not want a situation where Akume loyalists in the National Assembly come back unchallenged.”

Governor Alia, who addressed journalists following the meeting, was very clear in his stance that there are no automatic tickets.

He said: “Because the APC has made it very clear, Mr. President has said it severally and the National Chairman of the APC also stressed at the time that there is no automatic ticket.

“I think this is just a request, not a resolution. It is a prayer for the people of the state, asking them to reflect and consider how they can assist those who are serving.
It is not an official position of the national party or the federal government. As I understand it, this was a conciliation meeting. He has a right to make such appeals, to offer prayers. It’s basically a call to the whole citizenry to see if they can bring these people back. “I would say that is a misguided approach,” he said.

With preparations for the 2027 election cycle starting to gain momentum, the party may be headed for another bout of internal strife with conflicting interests, old grievances and the struggle for control still simmering beneath the surface.