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The Benue State Government has rejected reports suggesting that parallel congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were held in the state, describing the claim as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications, Chief Solomon Iorpev, the government accused Aza Msue of Leadership Newspaper of spreading inaccurate information about the party’s state congress.
The government maintained that there was a clear difference between a political meeting and a congress, stressing that only properly constituted events recognized by relevant authorities could be described as a congress.
“To begin with, what is the definition of a party congress? A party congress is a gathering of a political party’s representatives, typically including delegates from local branches, to discuss and decide on party matters such as leadership, policies, and candidates for elections.
It’s often a formal, organized event with rules and procedures, and may involve elections for party positions. In many countries, including Nigeria, party congresses are regulated by electoral laws and require oversight from independent bodies, like INEC and representatives of NWCs.”
According to the statement, a legitimate congress must include representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as officials of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
“Going by this understanding, it is safe to say that: (1, congresses REQUIRE the presence of INEC. That’s to say, where there is no INEC representative, it can be referred to as a meeting and a gathering of people but not a congress.
A congress MUST have INEC representatives. (2: congresses REQUIRE the presence of representatives of the National Working Committees, NWCs.
That’s to say, an event that does not have the presence of the representatives of the NWC, is only a gathering of a group of people, which may be for political reasons but certainly NOT a congress.”
The government explained that the only recognized APC state congress in Benue took place at IBB Square in Makurdi on March 3, 2026, under the supervision of INEC officials led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sam Egwu, and the party’s National Working Committee Election Congress Committee headed by Dr. Auwal Isheye.
“By the forgoing, it is very clear that on Tuesday, 03/03/2026, there was only one APC state Congress at the IBB square as monitored by INEC led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Sam Egwu and the NWC, Election Congress Committee led by the chairman, Dr Auwal Isheye. Any other gathering was just a meeting.
And my good friend Dan Ihumon alluded to this on Arise Television when he could not answer outright when he was asked about INEC and the NWC presence in their meeting.”
The statement further faulted a report by Leadership Newspaper suggesting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would determine which congress was authentic.
“It is based on the forgoing that the Benue State Government, is taking a strong exception to the article published in today’s Leadership Newspaper, authored by Aza Msue, alleging a parallel Congress in Benue State and alluding that it is only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who is to determine which Congress was the authentic one.
This publication is not only false but also a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and sow discord.”
The government insisted that the congress held at IBB Square produced Dr. Benjamin Omale as the state chairman and was conducted in the presence of both INEC officials and representatives of the APC National Working Committee.
“The facts are clear: there was only ONE state Congress in Benue State, held at IBB Square, Makurdi, where Dr. Benjamin Omale emerged Chairman.
This Congress was conducted in the presence of representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Prof Sam Egwu, the REC and the National Working Committee (NWC) Election Congress Committee led by Dr Auwal Isheyi, a delegation from the National Working Committee led by the Chairman, Nantawe Yilwatda.”
The statement described claims of a parallel congress as fabricated and disrespectful to the party’s national leadership.
“Any claim of a parallel Congress is a fabrication and a gross insult to the National Working Committee led by Prof Nantawe Yilwatda, who has recognized the Omale-led State Working Committee as the legitimate leadership of the party in Benue State.”
The government also warned that attempts by some individuals to organize what it called a parallel congress amounted to rebellion against the party leadership.
“The attempt by some individuals to stage a parallel Congress is a clear rebellion against the party’s leadership and a slap in the face of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who appointed the National Chairman who in turn has been dealing with the Omale-led committee including the distribution of Congress materials. Any attempt to undermine this is totally unacceptable.”
The state government therefore challenged the newspaper and the reporter to provide evidence of the alleged parallel congress.
“We challenge Aza Msue and the Leadership Newspaper to provide evidence of the alleged parallel Congress, where there was INEC and NWC presence (being the ONLY criteria) and if they cannot, We demand a retraction of the false publication in which the writer himself could not provide the evidence of what qualifies for a Congress in the so called parallel Congress.”
It added that the people of the state would not accept attempts to misinform them about political developments.
“The people of Benue State will not tolerate any attempt to confuse or mislead them, neither will they stand by and watch as falsehoods are being spread about their state.”
Benue Govt dismisses claim of parallel APC congress, demands retraction
