Benue APC holds parallel congresses as Omale, Agada factions swear in State Executives

By Benedicta Aboh

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has witnessed two separate State Congresses, reflecting ongoing divisions within the party.

In Makurdi, one faction inaugurated a new State Executive Committee (SEC), with all 36 officials elected through voice affirmation.

The exercise was supervised by the Chairman of the Benue APC Congress Committee, Dr. Auwalu Ishiye, alongside the committee’s Secretary, Mr. Tijani Abdullahi. They confirmed that the process complied with party guidelines and reflected internal cohesion within the state chapter.

“All the 36 positions were filled through affirmation in line with party procedures,” Ishiye said after administering the oath of office. He described the congress as “credible, peaceful and transparent,” noting that ward, local government, and state congresses had been conducted without rancor.

Governor Alia, addressing party faithful at the event, commended members for their maturity and patriotism. “I am because you are. You make the wheels of governance turn, and we will not rest until good governance is fully entrenched in Benue State,” he said. He also urged the new executives to treat their emergence as a responsibility to serve with integrity and commitment.

Chairman of the Benue APC Elders Forum, Senator Barnabas Gemade, described the inauguration as a milestone for strengthening the party’s structure, while Dr. Hinga Biem, representing Zone B, commended the governor for executing people-oriented projects in his first three years in office.

The newly elected State APC Chairman, Mr. Benjamin Omale, pledged to reposition the party as an inclusive platform, emphasizing grassroots mobilization, unity, and consolidation of electoral gains. Other state executives sworn in included Mr. Alphonsus Indyar (Deputy Chairman), Mr. Solomon Kachinah (State Secretary), Teehemen Ngbea (Legal Adviser), Samuel Imenger (Treasurer), and Mr. James Ornguga (Organising Secretary), among others. Local government chairmen and secretaries were also inaugurated.

Meanwhile, a rival faction aligned with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, conducted a separate State Congress, reaffirming Comrade Austin Agada as State Chairman for another four-year term.

The event, attended by statutory delegates, party leaders, and stakeholders from across the state, culminated in the unanimous affirmation of the Agada-led Executive Committee (EXCO) through a voice vote.

Speakers at the parallel congress pledged unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Akume, and the Agada-led leadership, stressing that cohesion within the party was critical to electoral success.

Ambassador Iorwuese Hagher, Chairman of the occasion, highlighted the need for discipline and loyalty among members, stating, “Unity is non-negotiable if we must consolidate the gains of the APC in Benue and across the country.”

Other stakeholders, including Second Republic Senator Dr. Jack Tilley-Gyado, Senator Titus Zam, and Hon. Saater Tiseer, reinforced their support for the SGF-aligned faction and urged stronger grassroots mobilization.

Governorship aspirants, including Chief Michael Aondoakaa SAN, Dr. Mathias Byuan, Pius Akutah, and Mrs. Patricia Kupchi, also backed the Agada-led leadership and called for strengthened party structures ahead of future elections.

The Agada-led EXCO confirmed through the congress includes Comrade Austin Agada (State Chairman), Benedict Aluga (Deputy Chairman), Donald Gbugho (Secretary), Vincent Uji (Vice Chairman, Zone A), Bishop Pinot Ogbaji (Vice Chairman, Zone C), Matthew Alyebo (Legal Adviser), Muhammed Hassan (Treasurer), and Awuese Torhee (Women Leader).
The dual congresses highlight internal divisions within the Benue APC, even as both factions stress the importance of party unity and development ahead of forthcoming elections.