The All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has announced the resolution of its prolonged internal crisis following a high-level reconciliation meeting held in Makurdi.
The peace meeting brought together Governor Hyacinth Alia, party leaders, lawmakers, and other influential stakeholders across the state.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, announced the resolutions after closed-door deliberations on Sunday.
Akume said stakeholders openly reviewed grievances, disagreements, and political misunderstandings that had weakened the party.
According to him, members agreed to prioritise unity, dialogue, and mutual respect moving forward.
“We reviewed our mistakes and agreed to rebuild an inclusive party,” Akume said.
He said party leaders acknowledged that internal divisions had slowed political progress and weakened confidence within the party.
Akume disclosed that members reached a consensus supporting Alia’s return as the party’s governorship candidate.
He added that the governor acknowledged concerns raised by aggrieved members during the discussions.
“The governor apologised, and that is an important step towards reconciliation,” he said.
Akume further stated that he conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s message on party unity, urging elected APC officials to work together.
According to him, the President encouraged cooperation among lawmakers at both state and national levels.
Akume expressed confidence that the meeting would strengthen cohesion within the party in Benue State.
He added that unity would enhance cooperation ahead of future political engagements.
Speaking after the meeting, Governor Alia described the reconciliation effort as timely and necessary.
He said the gathering was designed to heal divisions and restore confidence among party members.
“This meeting was deliberate and aimed at bringing everyone back together,” Alia said.
He added that he apologised to members who felt excluded or offended during past political disagreements.
“I apologised on behalf of all members to those aggrieved,” he said.
Alia stressed that the interests of Benue State must take precedence over personal ambitions.
“Benue is bigger than any individual, and unity must prevail,” he said.
The governor said reconciliation was essential for effective governance and development.
He added that leadership required sacrifice, understanding, and collective responsibility.
On the issue of automatic tickets, Alia dismissed reports of any official directive.
He said no formal approval had been issued by the party leadership.
“The President and party leadership have not approved automatic tickets,” he said, explaining that earlier comments were only appeals for support.
