President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday held a closed-door meeting with Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and former Governor Gabriel Suswam at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as tensions continue to mount within the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the disputed Benue Central senatorial ticket and the party’s internal leadership struggle ahead of the 2027 elections.
President Bola Tinubu has convened a high-level meeting involving Governor Hyacinth Alia and former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam amid growing divisions within the Benue chapter of the APC.
The meeting, held behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, comes at a time of heightened political tension following disputes arising from the party’s senatorial primaries and the broader struggle for control of the APC structure in Benue State.
Although the Presidency did not immediately disclose the agenda of the meeting, it followed the controversy surrounding the APC’s Benue Central senatorial ticket.
Former Governor Gabriel Suswam, who recently joined the APC from the PDP, reportedly emerged winner of the Benue Central senatorial primary before the party’s appeal committee overturned the outcome.
The development has intensified political disagreements within the state chapter of the ruling party, particularly between supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia and those aligned with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Political observers believe the timing of the meeting suggests an effort by the Presidency to reduce tensions and strengthen party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Benue APC has experienced months of internal disagreements over party leadership, primary election outcomes and the distribution of political offices, making reconciliation a key priority for the national leadership.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the Presidency nor participants at the meeting had released an official statement on the discussions or any resolutions reached.
Observers are expected to closely monitor subsequent developments to determine whether the intervention will help resolve the lingering crisis within the Benue APC.
The meeting underscores the strategic importance of Benue State in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections. Whether the closed-door talks lead to reconciliation remains to be seen, but the outcome is expected to influence the party’s political direction in the state in the months ahead.