APC Changes Many Benue Primaries, Suswam and Others Dropped

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has changed the results of some of its National Assembly primaries in Benue State. This includes replacing former Governor Gabriel Suswam and other candidates with new nominees.

The party said this change followed recommendations from its Primary Election Appeal Committee. The primaries took place in May across Nigeria.

The revised list, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), affects two senatorial districts and five House of Representatives constituencies in Benue.

These changes overturn some key victories achieved by Governor Hyacinth Alia’s group and bring back several candidates seen as loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.

Emmanuel Udende has replaced Mr Suswam as the APC candidate for Benue North East Senatorial District. In the Benue North West Senatorial District, Titus Zam has replaced Benjamin Aber, who is the husband of the Benue State Secretary to the Government, Deborah Aber.

The party also changed five House of Representatives candidates in Benue. Dickson Tarkighir took over from Christopher Ikper in Makurdi/Guma. Austin Achado replaced Terhemba Nongo in Gwer East/Gwer West. Terser Ugbor took Kohol Iormem's spot in Kwande/Ushongo. Sekav Iyortyom replaced Gideon Inyom in Buruku. Lastly, Sesoo Ikpagher took over from Livinus Tsar in Vandeikya/Konshisha.

This revised list followed a letter signed by APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, informing INEC that these changes were based on the party’s Primary Election Appeal Committee report.

This shake-up happened about six weeks after the APC primaries, which many observers viewed as a big win for Governor Alia in his ongoing power struggle with Mr Akume.

On 17 May, six current members of the House of Representatives who were seen as loyal to the SGF lost their return tickets during the APC primaries. Those defeated included Austin Achado, Dickson Tarkighir, Terser Ugbor, Sekav Iyortyom, and Sesoo Ikpagher. Now, they have all been reinstated.

Two days later, on 19 May, the APC senatorial primaries led to another major upset. Mr Suswam defeated incumbent Emmanuel Udende for the Benue North East Senatorial District ticket, while Benjamin Aber beat Titus Zam in Benue North West.

At that time, the results were viewed as strengthening Governor Alia’s hold on the APC structure in Benue, as many candidates seen as aligned with him won.

The primaries also seemed to reject calls for automatic tickets for serving lawmakers. This idea was promoted by Mr Akume during a reconciliation meeting in Makurdi just before the primaries.

During that meeting, the SGF said President Bola Tinubu wanted all current elected APC officials to keep their tickets. "We want everybody to have a place. We want inclusiveness in this party," Mr Akume stated.

But Mr Alia disagreed, saying that neither the president nor the APC leadership authorized automatic tickets. "What the SGF said was a prayer and not a resolution," the governor said then.

The new candidate list has now changed that previous political outcome significantly.

These changes also create a more balanced distribution of APC tickets between the two rival groups. Candidates seen as aligned with Governor Alia kept seven important National Assembly tickets, such as Francis Agbo (Benue South Senate), Ojotu Ojema (Apa/Agatu), Anthony Agom (Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo), Blessing Onuh (Otukpo/Ohimini), Peter Ogbodo (Oju/Obi), Regina Akume (Gboko/Tarka), and Solomon Wombo (Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo).

The Akume camp now controls seven tickets too after the changes. This includes Senators Emmanuel Udende and Titus Zam, along with Austin Achado, Dickson Tarkighir, Sekav Iyortyom, Terser Ugbor, and Sesoo Ikpagher for the House of Representatives.

This development marks another important change in the internal battle for power within the Benue APC as the 2027 general election approaches. The focus will now turn to the party’s House of Assembly nominations, where both camps will again test their influence.