Nigerian Concord Newspaper
The National Equity and Justice Movement has unraveled plots by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to cunningly use some members of the NWC of the All Progressive Congress to restore the disolved state executive committee of the party in Benue state.
Recall that the state executive committee led by Austin Agada was last year dissolved by the NEC of the party under its immediate past national chairman, Alhaji Umar Ganduje.
Speaking during a telephone chat with this newspaper, the advocacy group revealed that the SGF has started lobbying some members of the National Working Committee of the party with an aim to illegally terminate the Caretaker Committee of the party led by Chief Benjamin Omale during the NEC meeting of the ruling party slated for December 15, 2025.
According to the group, those NWC members who have compromised were bribed by the SGF through his Chief of Staff , Mr. Chris Tarkaa.
Reacting further, the group through its National President, Mr. Collins Apine stated that the SGF is trying to fraudulently take over the leadership of the APC in Benue state from Governor Hyacinth Alia who has been duly recognized by the NEC and the Presidency as the leader of the party in the state being the highest elected officer.
The group pressed further that Chief Benjamin Omale has used his experience, time and resources to sustain the party by bringing all the warring factions together since he assumed duties last year.
“Under Chief Omale, a rancour-free local government election primaries were conducted. He also ensured that the party won all the twenty three local government seats as well as all the councilorship seats. Even at the tribunal and the appeal court, Chief Omale was there to give moral supports to the party” he said..
The group pressed further that a governor of any state is the automatic leader of his party in such state, noting that Senator George Akume should leave local politics for Governor Alia who is the APC leader in Benue state and face his job in Abuja as SGF.
“Governor Hyacinth Alia is the leader of APC in Benue state and there is no way Senator Akume will succeed in bringing some bad eggs within the NWC to terminate a recognized Unity Caretaker Committee led by Benjamin Omale during the December 15 NEC meeting.
“We shall expose how and where those NWC members were bribed to cause troubles in the party which Chief Omale has been able to sustain with his time and resources” the group said.
The group however called on the National Chairman of the party, Professor Nentawe Yilwadta to be vigilant as some of his NWC members have been bought over to present an unpopular motion at the NEC meeting to restore a state executive committee that was dissolved more than a year ago.
This newspaper has reported that the leadership crisis rocking the Benue State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC has taken a different dimension as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume began lobby to return the dissolved state executive council of the party led by Comrade Austin Agada back to office.
Reports have it that the former governor of Benue State in his spirited efforts has met key national stakeholders of the party in Abuja to prevail over the National Executive Council of the ruling party to restore the Agada-led State Executive committee during the forthcoming NEC meeting in Abuja on December 15 and 16, 2025.
According to information, the SGF has made a case that the Chief Benjamin Omale-led Unity Caretaker Committee which was constituted by the immediate past national chairman of the party, Alhaji Umar Ganduje should not exceed a year in office.
“There are moves for the NEC of the party to terminate the Unity Caretaker Committee led by Chief Omale during the December 15 NEC meeting” a close associate of the SGF told this newspaper.
It was gathered that Senator Akume has also made a case that the party’s NEC after terminating the Unity Caretaker Committee should immediately restore the State Executive committee of the party led by Mr. Agada to complete its tenure while the party makes arrangements for its forthcoming Ward, local government and state congresses.
However, sources in the know said that Senator George Akume’s moves to ensure that the party terminates the Omale-led Caretaker Committee and restores Austin Agada-led Exco during the December 15 NEC meeting is not unconnected to his plots take over the structure of the party from Governor Hyacinth Alia.
Recall that the Benue State chapter of All Progressive Congress plunged into crisis ln 2023 as a result of the leadership crisis between the governor and the SGF.
While the SGF claims that he is the leader of the party in Benue state, the National Working Committee under Umar Ganduje recognized the governor as the leader of the party in the state.
The tussle of who controls the state chapter of the APC between Alia and Akume led to two parallel state executive committees in Benue state. While the Austin Agada-led Exco was loyal to the SGF, the Benjamin Omakolo-led Exco was loyal to the governor.
As that went on, the party NWC under Ganduje disbanded the Agada-led faction which is loyal to the SGF , and constituted a Unity Caretaker Committee led by Benjamin Omale. The Unity Caretaker Committee has however tried to bring the two factions together since it assumed duties.