Cover: - Revenge of the godfather: Why Alia may lose APC return ticket; Why Suswam lost senate bid. With confirmation of results of the National Assembly primaries of the Benue APC, Governor Hyacinth Alia goes down in history as another wanna-be giant-killer who aspired to claim boasting rights to early retirement from politics of Sen. George Akume, SGF, former two time Governor of Benue State and mercurial APC leader of north central Nigeria. It is no longer news that incumbent Senators Emmanuel Udende (Benue North East), Senator Titus Tartenger Zam (Benue Northwest) have secured their candidature for the next senatorial elections on the platform of the APC. Victory came via the report of the party's appeal panel and their names already published by INEC as candidates. It was gathered that the victory came through amazing sleight of hand lveraging on conection of the SGF. Akume's camp also secured the tickets of majority of candidates for House of Reps including Regina Akume, Asema Achado and several others. A major casualty in this phase of the prolonged Akume/Alia stand off is Gabriel Suswam, former PDP governor of the state who decamped to the APC in hopes of escaping imprisonment in a N3.1b corruption case over which he was charged by the EFCC in November 2015 and has been on trial since then. The Mandate learnt that the case is responsible for Tinubu dumping the former governor as stakeholders consider him too much of a political risk, especially given his open support for Alia in the face-off with the SGF. Meanwhile governor Alia's own chances now hang in the balance. The Mandate learnt that Alia may lose the automatic APC governorship ticket which Tinubu had granted all of the party's sitting governors. Usually credible sources at the APC headquarters in Abuja that this was because of the governor's rebellion against the President's directive that all of the party's serving national assembly members be given automatic return tickets which the governor openly flouted and is believed to be preparing to challenge in court. A strong lobby in Abuja is currently pushing for a review of the outcome of the party's factional governorship primaries in Benue State, one of which produced Alia as candidate for a second term. The lobbyists argue that since Alia had disobeyed Tinubu's directive and wanted to deny NASS members automatic return tickets he should also not enjoy the privilege. Tinubu, widely known as a ruthless leader who tolerates no opposition, is believed to have bought the argument of the lobbyists among who are said to be Akume. Already names are being suggested as Alia's replacement for the APC governorship ticket. These include Pius Akutah, Terwasa Orbunde and Jeffrey Karaun.

Posted: 1month ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 14 August 2026