Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has questioned an alleged presidential directive granting automatic tickets to serving All Progressives Congress (APC) office holders seeking re-election, arguing that the arrangement could conflict with the state's tradition of political rotation.
The governor's position was conveyed by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, while responding to journalists' questions in Makurdi.
Kula said that if President Bola Tinubu had indeed issued the directive, he might have been acting on incomplete or inaccurate information about Benue's political practices and voter expectations. The alleged directive has not been independently verified.
He described the arrangement as potentially “self-defeating,” warning that disregarding established zoning agreements could provoke public discontent and weaken the APC's electoral prospects in the state.
According to Kula, the Tiv principle of rotational leadership, popularly expressed as “ya na angbian,” meaning “eat and pass to your brother,” has influenced political representation in Benue. He also linked the principle's introduction into national political discourse partly to the late Joseph Sarwuan Tarka.
The governor's spokesman maintained that many voters in the state prefer leadership to rotate rather than remain concentrated in the hands of the same individuals for extended periods.
“Our people detest sitting tight in leadership. They prefer to rotate,” he said, warning that attempts to disregard the preference could trigger protests or protest votes.
Kula cited former Senate President David Mark and former Benue State Governor George Akume as examples of politicians who secured repeated mandates, while arguing that such cases were relatively uncommon in the state's political history.
He said political parties in Benue had generally taken zoning and rotational arrangements into account when selecting candidates because of their influence on voter expectations.
According to him, granting automatic tickets to all incumbent APC office holders, irrespective of their previous tenures or existing zoning agreements, could deepen internal divisions and undermine the party's chances in future elections.
Alia's Aide Alleges Plot to Weaken APC in Benue
Kula also questioned the motives of those who might have advocated the alleged automatic-ticket arrangement, suggesting that some political actors could be seeking to weaken the APC in Benue and subsequently blame Governor Alia.
He further alleged that others might be attempting to protect their political influence by preventing the governor from emerging as a dominant figure within the party.
“Whoever gave that advice knew he was planting landmines for Governor Alia and the APC in Benue State. That was pitching the Governor against the people,” he said.
The comments come amid ongoing political discussions over candidate selection, zoning arrangements and the conditions for re-election ahead of future electoral contests.
The debate highlights the tension between demands for continuity by incumbent office holders and rotational arrangements that some political actors and communities consider important for equitable representation in Benue State.
Benue APC: Alia’s Aide says automatic tickets could pitch party against voters