The two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume have produced their individual excos for ward executives in the 23 local government areas after the congresses held on Wednesday.
At the end of the congresses, the Comrade Austin Agada-led structure loyal to Akume said the existing ward executives were reaffirmed for another four-year term.
The faction’s state APC spokesperson, Daniel Ihomun, said the congress was peaceful and held in accordance with directives from the party’s national secretariat.
Ihomun congratulated the affirmed executives and told them to justify the confidence reposed in them by party members.
On the other hand, the Alia faction under the chairmanship of Chief Benjamin Omale said the new ward executives emerged through a consensus arrangement.
Spokesperson of the caretaker committee aligned with the governor, James Ornguga, said the tenure of previous ward, local government and state executives had expired, necessitating a fresh election.
Ornguga denied claims of reaffirmation, saying no APC rule permits automatic return of former executives, adding that ward executives’ tenure ended in July 2025, local government executives in September 2025, and state executives on February 8, 2026, making fresh elections inevitable.
Meanwhile, both factions have maintained that their congresses were held in line with the party’s guidelines. This has further winded the gully in Benue chapter of the APC with parallel structures at the grassroots level following the concluded ward congresses.
