In Benue State, rival factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, have yielded party excos for local government.

The APC Local Government Congresses that were held in parallel around the state over the weekend came after this.

Each camp claimed to be a legitimate member of the faction, and the practice was held on Saturday throughout Benue state’s 23 local government areas.

Remember last Wednesday’s separate ward congresses by the factions loyal to the two APC leaders in the state, which resulted in parallel excos?

According to information our correspondent obtained, President Bola Tinubu and Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the national chairman of the party, would now have to make a decision in the battle for the APC’s survival in Benue State.

The state’s two APC camps’ supporters informed them that President Tinubu and Prof. Yilwatda, the party’s national chairman, would make the final decision regarding the Benue congresses and parallel exco lists.

Loyal to Governor Alia, APC State Organising Secretary James Ornguga commented on the local government congresses, saying that any congress held in Benue State without the support and endorsement of the party’s national working committee (NWC) was pointless and a waste of time, and that their own congress was “equally peaceful and credible.”

APC State Publicity Secretary Dan-Morgan Ihomun, who is loyal to Akume, claimed in a statement over the weekend that the non-elective congresses were peaceful, transparent, and well-organized. In light of the remarkable attendance at the Local Government Congresses on Saturday, February 21, 2026, the Benue State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would like to thank party members in all 23 LGAs.

“The high degree of discipline, unity, and organizational capacity inside the party is reflected in the calm, peaceful, and transparent conduct of the Non-elective Congresses throughout the state. In Benue State, the large number of members demonstrates their ongoing faith in the APC’s leadership and principles.

“We extend our congratulations to all current Local Government Party Executives who have been duly confirmed by their respective Congresses to serve another four-year term,” the statement continued.

“The trust that party members have placed in you and your stewardship are both amply supported by this reaffirmation. According to the constitution and the tenets of our wonderful party, you are urged to continue being inclusive, open, and dedicated to bolstering the party’s grassroots infrastructure as you take on this renewed mandate.

“Sen. Dr. George Akume, CON, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Leader of the APC in Benue State and the North Central Zone, is greatly appreciated by the party for his steady leadership, direction, and stabilizing role.” The state party continues to benefit from his dedication and experience in terms of direction and unity.

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Zaynab Ngohemba, the new wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has opened up on the reason behind their recent marriage, describing it as a deliberate partnership anchored on purpose, maturity, and shared values.

The couple tied the knot a few weeks ago in a quiet, private ceremony, drawing public attention due to Akume’s position and Zaynab’s own public profile.
In a statement released by her media aide, David Adeoye, Zaynab explained that the marriage is not about reinvention or personal transformation, but about strengthening two lives already committed to service.

According to the statement, their union is “a partnership shaped by maturity, shared purpose, and mutual understanding,” adding that personal stability plays a crucial role in effective public duty.
“It is the coming together of two individuals already devoted to public service,” the statement noted. “This partnership reinforces shared values such as humility, discipline, empathy, and responsibility.”

Adeoye further emphasized the broader symbolism of the marriage, especially at a time when Nigerians are increasingly calling for integrity, accountability, and compassion from those in leadership.
He said the union reflects a leadership philosophy that balances authority with empathy and governance with genuine service, suggesting that leaders perform better when grounded in strong personal values.
“At a time when Nigerians demand more humanity from their leaders, this union quietly signals that service is strongest when built on shared values, stability, and a long-term vision,” the statement added.

Zaynab, formerly known as Zaynab Otiti Obanor, was previously married to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
The traditional marriage took place in March 2016, but ended in separation in 2017.
During the 17-month union, she was popularly known as Olori Wuraola.

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, and Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to embrace peace and reconciliation, cautioning that a sustained rift between both leaders could negatively affect Benue State, the North-Central zone and Nigeria as a whole.

Shettima made the appeal on Sunday in Makurdi while addressing guests at the wedding reception of Senator Akume’s son, where he underscored Benue’s strategic importance to national cohesion and development.
“Benue is not only the heartbeat of the nation; it goes beyond being the food basket. Benue is a trendsetter, and Benue has a large heart,” the Vice President said.

He lauded the Tiv people, describing them as the largest non-Muslim ethnic group in Northern Nigeria, with populations spread across Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory and parts of Borno State.
Recalling the 2023 general elections, Shettima said the polls were among the most polarising in Nigeria’s recent history but praised Benue voters for rising above divisions and choosing national interest over ethnic or religious considerations.

“The Tiv nation decided to vote for the Nigerian candidate, not the religious candidate, not the Northern candidate,” he said, noting that the decision demonstrated political maturity and patriotism.
The Vice President also commended Senator Akume for his inclusive leadership style, describing him as a unifying figure within Benue, the North-Central region and the country at large.
“The people call him the leader of Benue. He is a leader of the North-Central and a leader in Nigeria,” Shettima stated.

He warned against the dangers of political disunity, quoting civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.: “We either learn to live together with others or perish together.”
Shettima stressed that the disagreement between Akume and Governor Alia should not be allowed to escalate. “We cannot afford to allow the discord between the elder statesman, Distinguished Senator George Akume, and the Governor of Benue State, my brother, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to fester.
“We have a moral obligation to step in and heal wounds. What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us,” he said.

According to the Vice President, the fallout from a breakdown in their relationship would be severe. “If this relationship goes asunder, it is the people of Benue that will suffer, the people of the North-Central that will suffer, and the people of Nigeria that will suffer,” he warned.
Describing Akume as one of the most seasoned public officials in the country, Shettima highlighted his extensive career in public service. “He has paid his dues. He is the longest-serving public servant in the contemporary history of this country,” he said.
He listed Akume’s past roles, including Director of Protocol, Permanent Secretary, two-term governor of Benue State, senator for 12 years, Senate Minority Leader for eight years, minister, and now SGF.
“This is why I used to call him a cat with nine lives,” Shettima said jokingly, while acknowledging Akume’s lasting relevance in Nigerian politics.
Despite past political differences, the Vice President insisted that unity must prevail. “We will not allow the relationship between him and the transformative governor to go asunder,” he said, assuring that he would personally intervene to mend the relationship.
“I have that moral obligation as a leader of the North to work on that relationship, to repair the damaged relationship, because he has a big heart. He is our leader, and we hold him in the highest esteem,” Shettima added.

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Chief Mrs Regina Akume, wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, has urged her husband to remain firm in the Christian faith, insisting that Christianity played a central role in his rise in life and public service.

Mrs Akume gave the advice on Sunday, December 28, 2025, in Makurdi, Benue State, while responding to journalists who asked about her prayers and wishes for the SGF as he marked his 72nd birthday.
The admonition is coming on the heels of reports that Akume has married a new wife.

The SGF reportedly wedded Queen Zaynab Ngohemba, a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.
The SGF’s wife warned that turning away from Christianity for any other belief system would not yield success, stressing that their family’s progress and achievements were founded on faith in Jesus Christ.

“And he should remember that he is a Christian and it’s Christianity that brought him this far.
“So to drop Christianity now and to go for anything, he will not be successful. So my advice to him is to come back to Christianity and follow the line of Christ.
“We came all the way to SGF, it is not through any means, but through Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is still alive and still working, doing things for us.

“I wish that he will come back to Christianity,” she said.
Mrs Akume also alluded to developments ahead of the 2027 political season, noting that the situation had become more complicated, as, according to her, “the house is now divided into two”.

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The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum, has asked President Bola Tinubu to ‘watch’ Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, for allegedly working with opposition politicians to destabilize the APC in the North-Central zone.

The North-Central APC Forum made the call in a statement released by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, on Monday.

The call followed indications of a fresh alliance between Akume and immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, against the sitting Governor, Reverend Hyacinth Alia.

Akume has been engaged in a face-off with Alia over the control of the party in Benue, while Ortom’s administration is being proved by Alia’s government.

However, there are indications that the two former Benue governors have formed an alliance against Alia.

Ortom, who left the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during his tenure as governor, was among the dignitaries at a thanksgiving event held at Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State over the weekend to honour the SGF.

The event was also organised to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of Akume’s major loyalists, Dr. Matthias Byuan, an Executive Director at the Federal Housing Authority, FHA.

Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, had in a statement, criticised Ortom’s presence at the event, accusing him of poor leadership during his tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023.

On his part, Ortom, through his spokesman, Terver Akase, accused

the Alia administration of receiving higher federal allocations without matching the expectations of citizens in addressing security and developmental challenges.

Reacting to the development, the North-Central APC Forum said it was concerned that the SGF is hobnobbing with a leader of the opposition in Benue State in the person of former governor Ortom.

In the statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election, the North-Central APC Forum said it was alarming that the SGF has entered an alliance with opposition leaders to fight the APC government in Benue.

Urging Tinubu to watch the SGF, the Forum warned that the alliance between Akume and Ortom against Alia could destabilize the APC in the North-Central.

“The North-Central APC Forum has observed with alarm, the alliance and gang up between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, and Chief Samuel Ortom, the immediate past governor, against Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State.

“Chief Ortom, a leader of the opposition in Benue, whose administration is still under probe by the Governor Alia-led APC government, has now joined forces with Senator Akume, the SGF, to fight the APC government in Benue State.

“This unholy alliance was showcased at the thanksgiving program organized in honour of the SGF, Senator Akume, at Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State during the weekend.

“Chief Ortom’s prominent role at the event should be a cause for concern for any APC stakeholder and the attacks he hurled at Governor Alia following the event leaves us without any doubt that the SGF, Senator Akume, has ganged up with him to fight the APC governor in Benue State.

“The North-Central APC Forum is asking President Bola Tinubu to watch the SGF, as his alliance with opposition leaders such as Chief Ortom can destabilize the APC in not only Benue but the entire North-Central,” the group said.

Continuing, the North-Central APC Forum declared that it has lost confidence in the SGF’s capacity to lead the APC in the zone.

The Forum, which had in the past accused the SGF of lopsided appointments in favour of his Tiv kinsmen, and urged him to carry the entire North-Central along, and stand as the leader of the zone, noted that the alliance with Ortom shows that he does not have the interest of the APC at heart and is only concerned about loyalty to his person, and control of the resources of Benue State.

“The North-Central APC Forum has lost confidence in Senator Akume, the SGF, as his unholy alliance with Chief Ortom shows that he does not care about the development of Benue State and the North-Central zone.

“If Senator Akume truly cares for Benue and the North-Central, he would not enter an alliance with Ortom, whose past actions have shown little regard for the dignity and welfare of the people.

“We are worried that the SGF, who should be the leader of the APC in the North-Central, will forge an alliance with disreputable opposition forces against an APC administration that is working hard to tackle the challenges in Benue State.

“The agenda of the alliance between Senator Akume and Chief Ortom is not about development; it is about Akume’s desire to control the government and resources of Benue State. The North-Central APC Forum condemns this gang up in its entirety,” it added.

The APC Forum expressed shock that Akume could form an alliance with Ortom, who, during his time as governor, boasted that he had retired the SGF from politics.

Noting that Ortom’s eight years as governor set Benue State back in terms of human and infrastructural development, the APC Forum wondered why the SGF, as a leader of the ruling party, should join forces with the PDP leader to destabilize an APC government.

Warning that Akume’s romance with Ortom was not in the interests of the APC, the Forum insisted that President Tinubu should call the SGF to order immediately.

“We urge President Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC to take immediate action concerning the alliance between Senator Akume and Chief Ortom against the APC government in Benue State, led by Governor Hyacinth Alia.

“There is need for immediate action because we have not forgotten that only recently, in October 2024, Chief Ortom vowed that PDP would reclaim power in Benue in 2027.

“The North-Central APC Forum restates the warning that the APC cannot afford to lose Benue State in 2027.

“We call on President Tinubu and other leaders of our great party to act fast to forestall the destabilization of the APC in the North-Central,” it warned.

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