The protracted rift between factions of the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has persisted despite the reconciliatory moves by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

Before the primary elections, another reconciliatory meeting of the two factions was convened at the Government House in Makurdi at the instance of President Bola Tinubu and the NWC, The Guardian learnt.

It was learnt that the Akume faction, which reportedly enjoys the support of a majority of the National Assembly members from the state, was not happy with the outcome of the primary elections.

Against this background, it appealed to the panel set up by the party. Consequently, seven members of the National Assembly, comprising two senators and five House of Representatives members loyal to Akume, replaced those earlier declared winners of the primary elections by the party.

However, all those replaced, including former governor Gabriel Suswam, are loyalists of the incumbent governor. Consequently, those replaced after being duly declared winners by the same party have since challenged the development.

The friction between the two factions does not stop at the outcome of the primary elections.

Though the Alia faction controls the APC state secretariat, the Akume faction openly snubs the state exco.

To date, the factional Benue state publicity secretary loyal to the Akume faction, Dan-Morgan Ihomun, still issues statements in his official status as state publicity secretary, just as Benedict Yawe, who is the state publicity secretary of the Alia faction, also issues statements and announcements in the same capacity.

Though The Guardian could not confirm the rumours of clandestine moves by the Akume faction to replace Alia as the party’s gubernatorial candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections, both factions are, however, openly giving each other a wide berth.

At the birthday party of the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Emmanuel Jime, who recently left Alia for the Akume faction, it was rather the PDP governorship candidate, Michael Aondoakaa, who attended with Akume and other members of his faction.