Fresh cracks have emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, as Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, offered conflicting accounts of resolutions reached at a reconciliation meeting held on Sunday.

The meeting, convened in Makurdi at the Government House, was organised at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to restore unity within the party following prolonged internal disputes.

Speaking with journalists after the session, Akume said the primary objective of the gathering was to rebuild trust and ensure inclusiveness across party ranks. He added that one of the key understandings reached was to grant automatic tickets to all current officeholders, from the governor to lawmakers at both state and national levels.

He also disclosed that Governor Alia had expressed regret over the divisions that have plagued the party.

Senator Akume said, “Where we went wrong, we want to get back and we want everybody to have a place, we want inclusiveness in this party.

“Secondly, the Rev. Fr. (governor) said he was sorry, which is very good. He told us he was sorry for what had happened.

“And of course again, all those elected on the platform of the APC, from the State Assembly to the National Assembly must still come back. It’s automatic, they must come back and Fr must return to us. Those are the issues we discussed.”

However, Governor Alia offered a different interpretation of the meeting’s outcome, dismissing claims that automatic tickets had been agreed upon.

According to the governor, both the President and the party’s national leadership have consistently ruled out such arrangements, insisting that candidacy must remain competitive.

He acknowledged tendering an apology during the meeting but said it was done in the spirit of reconciliation and unity.

Alia said, “We all agreed to come under one roof and the import of this is to reconcile with each other and to find common ground as we were working and operating before now.

“To work for the progress of our party and the development of APC in the state and the nation at large, and we cannot afford to miss the opportunity for the citizens of the state to enjoy.

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“For those who were aggrieved, I have to apologize on behalf of every member of APC. By doing that, it was deliberate as a responsible leader of the party.”

Clarifying further, the governor stressed that the issue of automatic tickets does not fall within the authority of individuals at the state level.

“The resolution is beyond both of us because APC has told us plainly and Mr President has mentioned several times, as well as the national chairman of APC, all said there is no automatic ticket.

“What the SGF said was a prayer and not a resolution, but a prayer to people to see how they can support those who are serving currently. That is not what the President and national chairman said. It was an appeal and prayer to the citizens of the state to be able to bring these people back.”

The disagreement underscores the lingering factional divide within the APC in Benue, where a prolonged power struggle between Akume and Alia has unsettled party structures for years.

The crisis has seen rival groups emerge, each laying claim to party leadership at various levels, with parallel executives produced from ward to state during recent congresses.