Benue APC in Crisis as primary election sparks fraud allegations, internal revolt

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has been plunged into a deep internal crisis following its recently concluded legislative primary elections, with multiple aspirants and party stakeholders rejecting the outcome over allegations of widespread manipulation and “allocated results.”

A coalition of aggrieved aspirants, serving lawmakers, and party elders accused the state leadership of bypassing actual voting processes and instead compiling pre-determined results that favoured selected candidates.

The claims were made during an emergency press conference held in Makurdi on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, where dissatisfied party members called for the immediate cancellation of the primaries and a fresh, transparent exercise under neutral supervision.

According to the aggrieved faction, voting did not take place in several wards across the state despite the presence of party members who had gathered at designated polling centres.

They alleged that electoral officials and voting materials never arrived, only for “complete result sheets” to surface later in the day on social media, showing declared winners with precise vote allocations.

One federal lawmaker, speaking anonymously, described the exercise as “a complete distortion of democratic process,” alleging that outcomes were predetermined and imposed through internal party arrangements.

“This was not an election,” the lawmaker said. “Results were allocated, not voted for. Delegates were locked out and outcomes were written elsewhere.”

The disputed results reportedly led to the loss of return tickets for six sitting members of the House of Representatives from Benue State, triggering further outrage within the party’s legislative bloc.

The outcome has intensified fears of a widening split within the APC, particularly between factions aligned with the state executive structure and those loyal to established political figures and interests in Abuja.

Political observers say the crisis reflects a long-standing struggle for control of the APC structure in Benue, which has remained sharply divided between competing power blocs.

One faction is aligned with the state-level political establishment and its grassroots network, while the other draws strength from federal connections and influential party stakeholders outside the state.

Both sides have accused each other of manipulating the primary process to secure political dominance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Following the controversy, aggrieved members have submitted a petition to the APC National Working Committee (NWC), demanding the cancellation of all legislative primary results in Benue State.

They are also calling for the appointment of a neutral caretaker panel to conduct fresh primaries and a full audit of delegate lists used in the exercise.

Protests have reportedly emerged in parts of Makurdi and Gboko, where youth groups and supporters carried placards demanding intervention from the party’s national leadership.

Party elders warn that failure to resolve the dispute could lead to the emergence of parallel party structures in the state, a development that has previously weakened the APC in other states during past electoral cycles.

Analysts say the unfolding crisis could significantly weaken the party’s electoral strength in Benue if reconciliation efforts fail ahead of the next general elections, potentially handing an advantage to opposition parties.