By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
The Benue state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied that the current crisis rocking the party is a fight between Governor Hyacinth Alia, the state chairman Austin Agada and leader of the party in the state and secretary to government of the federation, Senator George Akume, but a fight between the governor and the party.
Zonal chairmen of the party who were reacting to the recent tension within the party during a press conference led by state vice chairman zone C, Bishop Pinot Ogbaji held at the party secretariat in Makurdi, said Governor Alia has continued to undermine the party since his inauguration.
The trio at the joint press conference further explained that the party was not pushing to usurp or share powers with the governor but said if the governor was interested in unity government, he would have called for a meeting of all Benue people and requested from them nominations than allowing the party to sweat to micro-zoning of positions.
The chairmen who likened the condition of Benue state APC to “a helpless husband with a very beautiful wife that sleeps around with his neighbours and enemies while he, the lawful husband is deprive of his conjugal rights, revealed that Governor Alia seems to have more confidence in patronising people outside the APC.
The chairmen who said the “emergency APC Stakeholders” now trooping the Benue state government house with profession of love for the governor clearly reveals an intention to either undermine core APC members in the state or a decision to perpetually suppress them.
The trio maintained that the last visit of the so-called party stakeholders leaves a lot to ponder about.
They recalled that shortly after Governor Hyacinth Alia was nominated as gubernatorial candidate of the party, most of the stakeholders including Senator Barnabas Gemade embarked on perpetual law suits while others declared open support for other political parties.
The chairmen expressed surprise at the governor’s sudden preference for non-APC members to those who supported him before, during and after the election.