Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has dismissed as “fabricated, malicious and laughable” a circulating report claiming he intends to dump the All Progressives Congress after an alleged secret meeting with former PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, in Makurdi.
In a statement released on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the Governor insisted that the story was “a wicked, mischievous and vicious smear campaign” designed to distract him and mislead the Presidency.
Part of the statement read, “This narrative is laughable, and it is nothing but a wicked, mischievous, and vicious smear campaign orchestrated to distract the Governor from his focused governance and to deceive the Presidency for selfish political gains.”
He clarified that since taking office, Governor Alia had visited several leaders and elder statesmen across political and religious divides, describing such interactions as normal and in line with his inclusive leadership philosophy.
He added, “A Governor with a liberal vision for development, like Alia, should embrace all. He reserves the right to visit any elder statesman, especially leaders of Sen. Ayu’s calibre.
“As far as Governor Alia is concerned, such visits are normal, respectable, and consistent with his inclusive style.”
The Chief Press Secretary asserted that, contrary to the rumour, Governor Alia had been strengthening the APC by engaging notable personalities and bringing them into the ruling party. He mentioned 3rd Republic Senator Prof. David Iornem, Elder David Amo, and Amb. Terhemen Tarzoor, as some of those recently brought into the APC through the Governor’s outreach.
According to him, APC structures across the state had been reinforced under Alia’s leadership, with opposition members joining the party daily.
He stated, “Defection ceremonies are taking place in virtually all local government areas, with influential figures abandoning their former platforms to join the ruling party in unprecedented numbers. This is the true political reality in Benue, not the fiction being circulated by mischief makers.”
He emphasised that Governor Alia remains dedicated to building a united and dominant APC in Benue State ahead of the 2027 elections.
He continued, “The Governor is prepared to engage even the fiercest political opponents and bring them into the party as part of a broader strategy for 2027 consolidation, both for his administration and for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He urged the public to ignore the rumour, describing it as a deliberate ploy to cause confusion and weaken the APC’s growing influence under Alia’s leadership.
He added, “The public is advised to disregard the concocted story in circulation. It is a deliberate distraction.”
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