By Aare Abiodun Oluwarotimi
President Bola Tinubu may have decided to find a lasting solution to crisis rocking the Benue State chapter of All Progressive Congress by warning the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to do everything to ensure that the state governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia doesn’t leave the party for any of the opposition parties.
Source at the Villa in Abuja told this newspaper that part of President Tinubu’s plans to ensure that Governor Alia remains in the APC was his approval that the national chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje should dissolve the state executive council led by Austin Agada.
It was gathered that the dissolution despite a court order stopping it was with an express approval of the president so that Governor Alia can take charge of the party as the supreme leader.
Sources confirmed that the president had shown his displeasure over the crisis between the governor and Senator George Akume to the extents that he advised the SGF to look for peace with the governor.
“A source working in the office of the president’s Chief of Staff said: “The president has been angry with the SGF especially when he read a letter sent to him by Akume’s loyalists where it was stated that Governor Alia was planning to leave the APC for the People’s Democratic Party.
“It was interpreted to the president that a former governor of the state is the one planing to take him (Alia) to the PDP and we see this as a plot to make the president lose Benue state and other states in the North Central in 2027.
“That was why we supported that the state executive council loyal to Senator Akume be dissolved so that the governor can lead the party as the Constitution says.
“As a matter fact, Alia is in charge of the state chapter of the APC now and the caretaker committee is accountable to him. He is the leader and the SGF has been advised by the president to conceed the leadership”
Asked about the court case which has been instituted by the dissolved executive council led by Agada, the source said that the court case is an effort in futility, stressing that the president is still in charge.
More details shortly