Group alleges plot to replace Benue Governor Alia as APC candidate
By Julius Alabi, Akure
An advocacy group, Benue for Good Governance has raised an alarm that some Benue born Abuja based politicians have begun to change the name of Governor Hyacinth Alia and all the State House of Assembly candidates that were elected during All Progressive Congress primaries in May, 2026.
The group specifically alleged that the name of a former aspirant of the All Progressive Congress who later didn’t participate in the governorship primary election, Mr. Ukeyima Akutah is being planned as a replacement for Governor Alia who came first at the primary by getting 367, 786 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr. Terwase Orbunde who got 3,247 votes.
According to the group in a press statement signed by its Secretary, Dr. Philemon Unongo, PhD, the Abuja based politicians who are hiding under the influence of a former governor of the State, have reportedly submitted names of the preferred candidates both for Governorship and House of Assembly to the National Working Committee of the ruling party ahead of the official announcement of the party in July.
The group alleged that the politicians had a secret meeting with the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Professor Nentawe Yilwadta who was accompanied by the party’s National secretary at the Maitama residence of the former governor where it was said that Governor Alia must not be announced as the governorship candidate of the party in Benue state.
The group stated that the politicians who are members of Senator George Akume political camp at the meeting presented names for all the State House of Assembly seats in Benue Northwest, Sankera axis, and part of Benue South, leaving the seats from Jechira axis and a small part of Benue South including Otukpo for Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The statement reads: “Perhaps they plan to use their dominance of the the State House of Assembly to checkmate the governor in case he manages to get the party’s governorship ticket after persuasion from the Presidency.
“We want President Bola Tinubu to be aware that presenting weak candidates in APC for the State House of Assembly elections will weaken the chance of Governor Alia and we pray that this is quickly addressed.
“This same Abuja based politicians have planted their loyalists as candidates for various elective positions in all the opposition parties in Benue state. Primary were held but aspirants who lost at the exercise were declared by the NWC. How wil our people vote for such candidates that were imposed on them. This may affect President Bola Tinubu’s chance in Benue state during the presidential election.
“That the governor wasn’t allowed to have a say in those that will represent his constituency both at the state and federal levels may greatly weaken his reelection chances which is exactly what the so-called Benue APC stakeholders is pushing for, and this is a plot to destroy APC in the state totally”
The advocacy group also raised an alarm about the secret replacement of the candidate for Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency, Mrs Regina Akume with another person known as Godwin Dajoh on the order of one Mrs Zaynab Ngohemba
The group pressed further that the chance of Governor Alia is being threatened with the plan to present weak House of Assembly candidate for the All Progressive Congress together with the emergence of Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Mathias Byuan as the candidate of the Labour Party, and Prof. Sabastine Hon, as the candidate of SDP
The group pressed further that its finding has shown that the people of Benue State are not ready to vote for National Assembly members who have performed poorly with a bad representation since they were elected.
