The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has formally accepted his emergence as the gubernatorial flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general election, extending the olive branch to his rivals after the party’s primaries.
He said the outcome of the primaries was an “unanimous approval” of his performance across critical sectors in Benue State.
Governor Alia is running for his second term in office, which will be from 2027 to 2031, if he wins his re-election bid.
The results of the gubernatorial primaries of the APC held on May 20, 2026 was officially declared on Friday, May 21, 2026 at the APC State Secretariat in Makurdi by the Chairman of the APC Governorship Primaries Committee, Prof. Mohammed Kabiru Isa.
He announced Governor Alia as the winner having scored 367,786 votes to defeat his closest contender, Dr. Terwase Orbunde, who polled 3,247 votes.
In his acceptance speech Governor Alia described his victory as a mandate for continuity, thanking party faithful for what he called “an overwhelming show of confidence in his leadership and vision for a prosperous Benue”.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring a level playing field during the APC primaries, and commended the national leadership of the party under Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and the Benue State leadership led by Chief Benjamin Omale for conducting a peaceful and transparent exercise.
In a major reconciliation move, the governor extended a hand of fellowship to fellow aspirants, urging them to unite behind the party’s common goal of securing victory in the 2027 elections and sustaining ongoing developmental projects across the state.
Highlighting the achievements of his administration in the last three years, Alia reeled out an ambitious scorecard spanning industrialisation, healthcare, infrastructure, education and digital innovation.
The governor stated that the state has witnessed the establishment and revival of several industries under the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), including the now operational brewery producing “Zeva Premium Beer” and “Oyi Bitters” alongside water, bakery, nails, polythene, and fruit juice factories.
He further disclosed that his administration has remodelled and equipped the Benue State University Teaching Hospital into a modern medical hub, rehabilitated over 100 primary healthcare centres across the state, and constructed more than 500km of roads across the state, including underpasses in Makurdi and Gboko.
He pointed out that in the educational sector, over 400 classroom blocks are currently under construction or remodelling across public primary schools, while more than 10,000 teachers have been recruited to strengthen learning outcomes.
Alia added that the newly established Benue State University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology at Ihugh was strategically designed to produce science and agro-technology driven graduates capable of solving practical societal challenges.
He also emphasised his administration’s digital transformation agenda, revealing partnerships with Microsoft and Google to train over 10,000 youths in ICT, alongside ongoing e-governance training for civil servants.
He called for peace and unity across political, ethnic and religious divides, assuring Benue State citizens that he would continue to govern with “the fear of God, transparency, compassion and accountability”.
He said his acceptance of the APC ticket was “not a personal triumph, but a call to greater service.
