The Benue State Government has debunked rumours claiming Governor Hyacinth Alia is planning to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) after allegedly holding a secret meeting with former PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
In a statement on Wednesday, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula dismissed the report as completely false, describing it as a “wicked and mischievous smear campaign” aimed at distracting the governor and misleading the presidency for political reasons.
Kula explained that Governor Alia regularly meets elder statesmen, national leaders and influential figures across political and religious lines. According to him, such visits are part of the governor’s inclusive leadership style and focus on development, not signs of political defection.
He added that Governor Alia has, in fact, been working closely with key stakeholders in Benue, many of whom have recently joined the APC. Among the new entrants mentioned were former Senator Prof. David Iornem, Elder David Iorwashima Amo, and Ambassador Terhemen Tarzoor.
The statement noted that the APC in Benue has been gaining strength, with frequent defections from opposition parties across local government areas.
“These engagements have strengthened the party, not weakened it,” the government said.
It stressed that the real political picture in Benue is the steady expansion of the APC under Governor Alia’s leadership not the “fiction being circulated by mischief makers.”
The government also said Governor Alia remains fully committed to the APC, particularly as he works to consolidate his administration and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections. He is also open to engaging even his strongest political rivals as part of efforts to stabilise the state’s political landscape.
The public was urged to ignore the fabricated report, which officials described as a deliberate attempt to sow confusion and undermine the achievements of the administration.
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