Benue: Despite peace meeting, Akume, Alia differs on automatic ticket

The storm rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue was far from over as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume and Governor Hyacinth Alia differed on resolutions of the meeting.

CAPITAL POST gathered that a peace and reconciliation meeting was convened on Sunday with Akume, Alia and other critical stakeholders in attendance.

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What was discussed in the meeting bothered on unity of the party and the 2027 general candidates. Whereas, Akume said, part of the resolutions was to offer automatic tickets for all the legislators including the National Assembly members. Alia on the other hand disagreed with Akume’s position, denying that the meeting never resolve to allow automatic tickets, insisting that ‘automatic ticket’ was against the APC policy.

The meeting held at Government House, Makurdi on the directive of President Bola Tinubu to resolve crisis within the party and put it in good shape before the general election.

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Immediately, positions differ over claims of an “automatic ticket” for elected APC officeholders, with both leaders presenting differing interpretations of what transpired.

Akume told journalists that the primary goal was to restore peace and unity within the party, insisting that part of the resolution reached included granting automatic tickets to all elected APC officials, including the governor and members of the National and State Assemblies.

The SGF said, governor Alia apologised for crisis in the party, a claim that Alia admitted.

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,” Akume said.

“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, 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 Rev Fr must return to us. Those are the issues we discussed.”

Governor Alia gave a conflicting report, saying that there was no agreement on automatic tickets.

According to him, President Tinubu and the National Chairman of APC have been clear that automatic ticket wouldn’t be served anyone.

The governor confirmed apologising, describing it as a necessary step to foster unity.

“We all agreed to come under one roof, and the import of this is to reconcile with each other and to find common ground as we were working and operating before now,” Alia said.

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

Clarifying further, the governor said the issue of automatic tickets was not part of any binding agreement.

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

“What the SGF said was a prayer and not a resolution… It was an appeal to see how people can support those currently serving, not a directive.”

The Benue APC has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership crisis over the past three years, largely driven by a power tussle between Akume and the governor.

The struggle for control of the party structure has divided the party into factions, with both sides producing parallel executives from ward to state levels during recent congresses.

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