By Francis Atume, Makurdi
The Tinubu/Alia Campaign Council 2027 has rejected the purported “Strategic Alliance for Tinubu/Shettima Re-election 2027” and its Campaign Council, describing it as contemptuous, injurious to the fortunes of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, and a plot to sabotage the re-election of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
Addressing a world press conference Friday at the Campaign Secretariat in Makurdi, Director General of the Council, Rechard Asema, described as worrisome the unveiling of the Strategic Alliance slated for the 20th November, by senior members of the APC in the state with opposition political parties and candidates standing election against the party’s candidate in the 2027 governorship poll on the list.
He said the Benue State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, viewed with serious concern the purported formation of the “Strategic Alliance for Tinubu/Shettima Re-election 2027” by some political individuals and groups, and the subsequent announcement of a Campaign Council for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
The campaign council, expressed dissatisfaction especially with the inclusion of Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation on the list of the alliance, describing their membership in the group as working against the party.
He noted that a critical look at the membership of the Strategic Alliance Campaign Council had revealed that governorship candidates of other political parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, LP, as well as officers of some other minority parties, are members of the group and its Campaign Council, which he argued should not be the case
“The APC in Benue State, under the leadership of His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and its chairman, Benjamin Omale, wishes to strongly reject this purported Strategic Alliance and its Campaign Council. This Council, to say the least, is contemptuous and injurious to the fortunes of APC and its electioneering machinery in the state as being coordinated by Rev. Fr. Alia,” he stated.
Asema said from all credible intelligence available to the party and the campaign council, the Strategic Alliance has a hidden agenda, which he alleged is to sabotage the election of Governor Alia in the 2027 elections, while masquerading as supporters of President Bola Tinubu.
Asema, further revealed that the APC in Benue State recently constituted a comprehensive Campaign Council with over 900 loyal and credible party leaders as members, stressing that most members of the so-called Strategic Alliance were appointed into the Council, which was publicly inaugurated on 5th November, at the IBB Square, Makudrdi.
According to the D/G,soon after the Council membership was announced, these same persons hastily declined participation in the activities of the Council, describing as
regrettable that some APC members have fallen prey to this political gimmick by allowing themselves to be used for this act of political mischief .
He stated unequivocally that Benue State is fundamentally and evidentially a strong base of the APC, saying the party is well grounded, popular and loved by the people of Benue State, and expressed optimism that by God’s grace, APC will win the 2027 elections decisively with a higher margin of votes than it did in 2023 .
Asema recalled that in the 2023 elections, the party did not only win the governorship seat, it delivered President Bola Tinubu and won two of three Senatorial seats , stressing that at the moment, the party controls 27 out of 32 State House of Assembly seats and 10 of 11 House of Representatives seats, 23 Local Government Chairmen and all 276 elected Councillors across the Council wards of the state.
“Most importantly, the outstanding performance of Governor Alia, through the delivery of high-profile infrastructure projects, establishment of medium and large-scale industries to create jobs and develop the state’s economy, development of the education sector through massive provision of classrooms and other facilities, employment of 9,700 teachers, prompt payment of salaries and pensions, and clearance of arrears, among others, have combined to make the governor very popular in the state,” he said.
He maintained that APC does not need any alliance to win the 2027 elections, and warned against any attempt to confuse the teeming members of the party and the good people of Benue State, who are already poised to vote for the party at the forthcoming elections.
The campaign council advised APC members in the Strategic Alliance to disengage forthwith, retrace their steps and regroup with the mainstream leadership of the Party under Governor Alia, reassuring President Tinubu and Governor Alia, of massive support and victory at the forthcoming polls.
