• Tuggar denies criticising Tinubu over Bauchi outing
• Forgive our shortcomings, support APC again, Nwifuru begs

The political battle between the camps of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has shifted to Abuja over the final list of candidates to be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
 
However, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, dismissed reports that he criticised President Bola Tinubu over APC governorship primaries in Bauchi State, describing such claims as false and a misrepresentation of his remarks.
 
Acknowledging his shortcomings, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State appealed to the people of the state to forgive his administration and those of elected lawmakers and give the APC a second chance in 2027.
 
Recently, the APC national leadership conducted National Assembly and governorship primaries in Benue under the supervision of INEC officials. In the exercise, Alia’s loyalists emerged victorious in several key contests.
 
But former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, won the Benue North-East Senatorial ticket, while retired Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) of Customs and husband of the Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG), Benjamin Aber, clinched the Benue North-West Senatorial ticket.
 
Similarly, a former member of the House of Representatives, Francis Agbo, secured the Benue South Senatorial ticket.
 
Alia’s loyalists defeated Akume’s allies, including incumbent senators representing Benue North-East and Benue North-West Senatorial Districts, Emmanuel Udende and Titus Zam, respectively.
 
Other loyalists of Akume, who lost their bids, included incumbent members of the House of Representatives, TerseerUgbor, AsemaAchado and Dickson Tarkighir.

However, Akume’s wife, Regina, secured the APC ticket for the Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency.

Chairman of the National Assembly Primary Election Committee for Benue, Saidu Mahuta, declared the primaries free, fair and transparent while announcing the results.
 
However, dissatisfied with the outcome of the exercise, Akume’s loyalists reportedly petitioned the APC Appeal Committee and the NWC under Prof. NentaweYilwatda, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the primaries and seeking to be declared winners.
 
Spokesperson for Akume’s camp, Daniel Ihomun, said the aggrieved aspirants were awaiting the final decision of the NWC.
  
“What happened in Benue during the APC primaries was a charade. Aggrieved aspirants have petitioned the APC Appeal Committee and are waiting for the final decision of the APC NWC in Abuja on the recent primaries conducted in Benue. Only the APC presidential primary was genuinely conducted in the state. I can tell you that there is no faction in Benue APC,” he said.
 
On May 3, 2026, Alia and Akume had announced that they had reconciled following a peace and reconciliation meeting aimed at resolving disagreements within the Benue APC.
 
Akume had reportedly demanded automatic tickets for incumbent National Assembly and House of Assembly members seeking re-election. However, Alia opposed the proposal, insisting that all aspirants, including him, should test their popularity through direct primaries.

Tuggar, in a recent interview conducted in Hausa, maintained that party members should be allowed to freely choose their candidates through credible and competitive elections.
 
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the former minister said his comments had been wrongly interpreted.
  
“Our attention has been drawn to various interpretations and misrepresentations of remarks made by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tuggar, during a recent interview conducted in the Hausa language.
 
“For the avoidance of doubt, Tuggar did not criticise or question Tinubu in any way. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and a deliberate distortion of his remarks. The minister remains a loyal supporter of the President, fully committed to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the success of the APC-led administration,” the statement said.
 
According to the statement, the interview centred on concerns about internal party processes in Bauchi and the need to uphold transparency, fairness and internal democracy.

Nwifuru, during a thanksgiving service held at the Government House Chapel, Abakaliki, to mark the third anniversary of his administration, acknowledged that his administration, members of the National Assembly and House of Assembly might have made mistakes while serving the people.
 
He, however, urged residents to overlook those shortcomings and continue to support their elected representatives.
  
“Please forgive us; forgive me, the National Assembly members and the House of Assembly members. Forgive our shortcomings and vote for us again,” the governor said.