Governor Hyacinth Alia has issued a stern warning to the Austin Agada-led faction of the All Progressives Congress against proceeding with their scheduled meeting at the party’s secretariat on Thursday.
The governor’s warning comes as the party’s secretariat was besieged by security operatives and youths, who blocked the road and diverted traffic, according to Daily Trust.
In a statement, Governor Alia denied knowledge of the meeting and emphasized his position as the APC leader in the state, stating that no meeting can be summoned without his knowledge.
He warned that any attempt to disrupt the peace of the state by convening an unauthorized meeting would have consequences.
The APC in Benue has been embroiled in a factional crisis since January, with Governor Alia backing one faction and Senator George Akume allegedly supporting the other.
The statement read, “The Governor has therefore called off the purported meeting, warning that there will be consequences if any person or group attempts to disrupt the peace of the state by converging for any unauthorised meeting.
“The last time I checked, I am still the APC leader in the state. No APC meeting can be summoned without my knowledge. Not just that, as the Chief Security Officer in the state, I should know when a legitimate gathering is supposed to hold.
“Nigeria is not a lawless state and so is Benue State. Those who think they can undermine the authority of the state must know this and know peace.”
