Alia, Akume disagree over automatic tickets for Benue political office holders

George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).and Benue Hyacinth Alia, the Benue State Governor, have differed at resolutions reached at Sunday’s peace and reconciliation meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

While Akume said, in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu, all those elected on the platform of APC from Governor, State and National Assembly members should come back automatically as part of the resolutions reached during the meeting, Governor Alia disagreed, saying the party leadership and the President said “there is no automatic ticket for anyone.”

But, the SGF said “we are here to talk about the peace and unity of our party – APC, that is where we started, where we went wrong, we are gone back to the drawing board, we want everybody to have a place, we want inclusivity in the party not few people being in control”, acknowledging that peace was the paramount purpose of the meeting.

The SGF added that part of the resolution was an automatic ticket for all elective officers, from the Governor to all members of the National and State Assemblies.

The SGF further said that the governor had apologised for all the crises in the party in the State.

Akume said that the governor, during their discussion, apologised for what had happened and promised to amend, “which is very good for peace to reign.”

“The paramount thing is that all those elected on the platform of the APC, from the State Assembly to the National Assembly must still come back alongside the Governor”, Akume insisted.

However, Governor Alia, during an interview, disagreed from what the SGFsaid. According to Governor Alia, President Tinubu and the National Chairman of the party had emphasised in plain terms that “there is no automatic ticket for any candidate in the party.”

“Automatic ticket is beyond all of us because the national leadership of APC and the president told us plainly that there is no automatic ticket, what the SGF said is an appeal”, the governor explained.

Muazu Bawa, the APC National Vice President North Central, in an interview, commended the Benue APC for amicable resolution of long face-off, which had created division and acrimony within the party, expressing happiness that “Benue APC is now one”, adding: “with this all the people elected under the platform of APC in Benue State must come back in 2027.

Speaking on the issue of automatic ticket, Gabriel Suswam, the former Governor, who is now a member of APC and aspiring to represent Benue South East Senatorial District, said, “the reconciliation meeting is not all about him, it is about the State and APC and all have agreed to come together to work for the growth of the party, progress and development of the State.”