Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on Friday intensified efforts to rally members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State ahead of Saturday’s presidential primary, urging party faithful to close ranks and work for the success of President Bola Tinubu.

Akume, who arrived at the Makurdi Airport to a rousing reception by party supporters, stressed the need for unity within the Benue APC following controversies that trailed the party’s recent primaries in the state.

The SGF appealed to aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to embrace reconciliation and avoid actions capable of weakening the party ahead of future elections.

Speaking with journalists shortly after his arrival, Akume said the APC leadership in the state remained committed to mobilising massive support for President Tinubu at the presidential primary.

“The presidential primary is taking place tomorrow (Saturday). We’re here to mobilise support for our dear President. He’s doing very well. I’ve told him repeatedly that he has no problem in Benue State,” he said.

According to him, Tinubu’s leadership style, patriotism and inclusive governance had continued to earn him widespread support across the country.

“In a democracy, you must always have some opposing voices, but the truth is that his work is remarkable. His performance has been approved by most Nigerians and we are very sure that, come tomorrow, our people are going to vote massively for Mr. President,” Akume stated.

The SGF also reacted to allegations surrounding the diversion of electoral materials during the APC primaries in Benue, describing the reports as disturbing and potentially harmful to confidence in the party’s internal democratic process.

He noted that he was not physically present during the exercise, saying he received several complaints regarding alleged irregularities.

“I was not here during the last election. I received so many reports about diversion of materials, among other things, but I wasn’t here. So, I don’t want to comment so much about that,” he said.

He, however, maintained that the overriding priority should be preserving unity within the APC.

“What I want to say is this: I want the APC to be a united family. This was how we intended it to be. Those of us who were the founding fathers of the party do not want factions in our party,” he added.

Akume expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure another mandate in 2027, urging party members to remain peaceful and participate actively in the presidential primary.