The faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue led by Augustine Agada has chosen to ignore the National Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Ganduje, and has instead nominated 23 candidates for chairmanship positions for the upcoming local government elections in the state. Additionally, the faction has also put forward 276 candidates for councilorship positions in various wards of the state.
The nomination process took place during congresses held on Saturday, with the Agada-led faction stating that the exercise was conducted peacefully. In Gboko and Otukpo LGAs, Basil Yina and Oleho Augustine were elected as chairmen representing the APC.
This development comes amidst a backdrop of a power struggle within the party in Benue, with different factions aligning themselves with various party leaders. The Agada-led faction, loyal to George Akume, SGF, has been at odds with the faction led by Benjamin Omakolo, who is aligned with the state governor, Hyacinth Alia.
Despite the national working committee’s decision to dissolve the Agada-led faction and replace it with a caretaker committee, the faction has continued to operate and has now presented its candidates for the upcoming local government elections. The situation remains fluid as both factions vie for control within the party in the state.
The Agada-led faction is currently seeking to enforce a court order that restrains the national leadership of the party from disbanding it, further complicating the already tense situation within the APC in Benue. October’s local government elections will be a key test of strength for the various factions as they seek to assert their authority within the party.
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