Dissident Benue APC members may sabotage Tinubu’s reelection, Group warns

By Emmanuel Mogbede

An interest group, Concerned Benue All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders, has activities of some members of the party, if allowed to continue, could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the state and Nigeria in general.

The group’s Spokesman, Mr Dominic Alancha, said this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.

Alancha, who appealed to party elders and leaders not to allow personal disagreements to destroy APC’s collective political future in the state identified the members as belonging to Benue Strategic Alliance

He noted that the members associated with the Benue Strategic Alliance are APC stakeholders in their own right, their activities could be injurious to the interest of the party as the country heads towards the general election.

Alancha, also a former spokesperson for Strategic Alliance Group, equally appealed to APC members in the state not to turn personal disagreements into a campaign against the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He expressed the regret that many APC members in the state had been misled into fighting individual battles instead of protecting the party’s collective interest.

Alancha further appealed to party elders and leaders in Benue not to allow factional politics to hand an advantage to the opposition or the ambition of a few individuals to bring it down.

According to him, the concern of all APC members in the state should not be about who controls the party, but how to make it stronger to win the forthcoming general elections.

He said that a united and disciplined APC was critical to winning elections in the state in 2027.

The group’s spokesman added that APC members must, therefore, rise with one voice and oppose those bent on dividing them or turn them against one another.

He warned that personal ambition should not be more important than the party’s collective interest.

“We are organised, united, determined and prepared to take our message to every local government, ward, unit and community across Benue,” Alancha said.

He called on APC members to choose the party, unity, discipline, good governance as well as the people of the state and the consolidation of the party’s mandate under Gov. Hyacinth Alia.

Alancha urged the governor to remain focused, continue to serve the people and leave politics of distraction to those who had chosen that path.

He also advised APC leadership in the state to stand firm and protect the party’s supremacy and its constitution.

“No individual is bigger than the party. Whenever violations occur, the appropriate party organs should act without fear or favour, and in accordance with due process.

“To all APC stakeholders, we say: Let us close rank. The 2027 election is approaching; the time for internal distractions is over; the time for unity and mobilisation is now.

“The time to defend the APC’s mandate is now and the time to prepare for the re-election of Gov. Alia is now.

“Let history record that when APC came under pressure, we stood together; that when personal interests threatened to divide us, we chose the party; that when political distractions
emerged, we remained focused.

“Let history also record that when the people of Benue were called upon to decide in 2027, APC went before them as one united family,” Alancha said.

He maintained that no faction or personal ambition was bigger than the party, adding that the party and Benue must come first.

Alancha said that the group would continue to defend APC’s mandate and mobilise across the state for the re-election of Alia and President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

“We are sending a message today, not a message of hatred or persecution, but of responsibility, discipline and political reality, as we make bold to say: enough is enough.

“If anybody has a disagreement with Gov. Alia, there are legitimate avenues for expressing that disagreement.

“If anybody believes the party leadership has made a mistake, the party has organs through which the grievance can be presented.

“If anybody wants to contest for political office, there are procedures for doing so, but nobody has the right to turn personal disagreement into a campaign against APC itself.

“This will amount to anti-party activity, which is punishable as enshrined in the APC Constitution,” Alancha said.(NAN)