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The Benue state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Thursday said the political peculiarities in Benue will not allow the state to accept automatic tickets for incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) office holders seeking re-election.
He warned that the policy could undermine the state’s zoning arrangements.
The governor’s chief press secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, stated this while responding to journalists’ questions in Makurdi. Kula said that if President Bola Tinubu issued the directive, he might have been misinformed about Benue’s political traditions and voters’ expectations, although the claim has not been independently verified.
He described the alleged policy as self-defeating, arguing that it could generate public resentment, internal divisions and weaken the APC’s electoral prospects in the state.
The governor’s spokesman cited the Tiv principle of rotational leadership, known as “ya na angbian” (eat and pass to your brother), as a longstanding influence on political representation in Benue.
He added that voters generally oppose prolonged occupation of elective offices and could resort to protests or protest votes if zoning arrangements were disregarded.
Kula further alleged that some political actors might be promoting the automatic-ticket arrangement to undermine the APC in Benue or constrain Governor Alia’s influence within the party.
He warned that imposing automatic tickets without considering previous tenures and existing zoning agreements could pitch the governor and the party against the electorate amid growing debate over candidate selection ahead of future elections.
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