….Boycotts Tinubu’s 2027 endorsement, deepens rebellion against party hierarchy
In a calculated act of defiance, Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has snubbed the All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election. His absence has intensified internal party divisions and accelerated ongoing talks with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The endorsement ceremony, hosted by the APC National Working Committee at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, was intended to rally support for Tinubu’s re-election bid and present a unified party front. However, Alia’s decision to boycott the event shocked party leadership and reinforced perceptions of his deepening rift with the party.
According to sources, Alia had pushed for a joint endorsement that would recognize both Tinubu’s presidential ambition and his own re-election bid in Benue. When the party leadership rejected the proposal, he reportedly withdrew from further discussions and shifted his focus toward exploring an alternative political platform.
Since assuming office, Governor Alia has been locked in a prolonged power struggle with influential APC figures in Benue, most notably Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The friction escalated when Alia attempted to remove Mr. Austin Agada, the APC State Chairman and an ally of Akume.
That move was invalidated by the Federal High Court in Makurdi, which ruled on November 28, 2024, that Agada’s removal was unlawful. Despite the ruling, Alia went ahead to establish a factional party structure, installing a parallel executive loyal to him and marginalizing dissenting voices.
Political observers now believe that Alia’s outreach to the ADC is part of a deliberate plan to exit the APC. Sources close to the matter revealed that former Governor Gabriel Suswam and senior ADC officials are actively involved in advanced negotiations to facilitate the governor’s defection.
Adding to the intrigue, Alia is reported to have secretly financed Suswam’s failed campaign for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further indicating his readiness to form strategic alliances across party lines.
Analysts describe the governor as a political tactician who is prioritizing personal ambition over party loyalty. While his moves have consolidated support within a loyal faction, they have also alienated large sections of the APC both in Benue and at the national level.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gain momentum, Governor Alia’s political gamble may either reposition him as a key power player or leave him politically isolated. What remains clear is that his actions are reshaping Benue’s political dynamics and sending ripples through the national party structure.
