Barely 24 hours after a marathon meeting between Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the Government House in Makurdi, which was said to have ended the long-standing political crisis within the APC family, the two leaders appear headed for another showdown.

The latest point of disagreement is the issue of automatic return tickets for the governor, state lawmakers and members of the National Assembly.

Following the meeting, Akume told reporters that he supported automatic return tickets for the governor, members of the Benue State House of Assembly and National Assembly lawmakers.

Alia later dismissed the idea while speaking with reporters.

He described it as a mere suggestion, especially as the APC National Working Committee (NWC) had already adopted direct primaries for the nomination of candidates for elective offices.

In contrast, the Benue State Deputy Governor issued a disclaimer in a full-page advertorial, stating that the meeting neither discussed nor reached any agreement on automatic return tickets.

As of press time, indications were that the peace deal might have collapsed.

It was learned that if the meeting ultimately fails to produce a lasting resolution, the only option left may be for President Tinubu to intervene decisively and settle the dispute. (The Nation)

•Benue State Gov. Hyacinth Alia and SGF Sen. George Akume

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