Fresh crisis appears to be brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State following allegations by an advocacy group, Benue for Good Governance, that there are moves to replace Governor Hyacinth Alia and alter the party’s list of candidates ahead of the 2026 elections.
The group claimed on Thursday that some Abuja-based politicians were allegedly plotting to substitute Governor Alia, who emerged winner of the APC governorship primary, before the party releases its official list of candidates.
It also alleged that the names of several candidates who won tickets for the Benue State House of Assembly could be replaced with those of other individuals.
In a statement signed by its Secretary, Dr. Philemon Unongo, the group alleged that the moves stem from political consultations allegedly taking place in Abuja following the APC primaries conducted in May 2026.
According to the group, despite Governor Alia’s overwhelming victory at the governorship primary, there are alleged plans to replace him with a former governorship aspirant who eventually did not participate in the primary election.
The group maintained that Alia won the primary convincingly with 367,786 votes, while his closest challenger, Terwase Orbunde, polled 3,247 votes.
It warned that any attempt to tamper with the outcome of the primaries could trigger widespread discontent among party members and supporters across the state.
The group also expressed concern over alleged plans to substitute some candidates who emerged victorious in the State House of Assembly primaries, warning that imposing candidates could undermine party unity and hurt the APC’s electoral chances.
It called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC to ensure that the outcome of the party primaries is respected.
“We believe that adherence to the results of the primaries and respect for internal democracy are critical to maintaining the confidence of party members and the electorate,” the statement said.
The group further argued that presenting unpopular candidates for legislative elections could weaken Governor Alia’s re-election bid and affect President Tinubu’s performance in Benue during the presidential election.
It also alleged that some Abuja-based politicians had positioned loyalists across opposition parties in the state while influencing candidate selection within the APC.
According to the group, “The governor wasn’t allowed to have a say in those that will represent his constituency both at the state and federal levels. This may greatly weaken his re-election chances, which is exactly what the so-called Benue APC stakeholders are pushing for, and this is a plot to destroy APC in the state totally.”
The advocacy group equally raised concerns over reports of possible alterations to the list of candidates for federal constituencies, warning that such actions, if carried out, could deepen divisions within the ruling party.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC had yet to release its official list of candidates for the 2026 elections, while the allegations by the group had not been independently verified
