By Aloysius Umalo, Makurdi
Governor Hyacinth Alia has emerged as the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Benue State, securing the party’s ticket for a second term ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The primary election, held across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state on May 21, 2026, saw Governor Alia defeat two other aspirants by a wide margin.
Announcing the results in Makurdi, the Chairman and Chief Returning Officer of the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Professor Muhammad Kabiru Isah, declared that Alia polled 367,786 votes to clinch victory.
According to the results released by the committee, Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun Isaac garnered 2,923 votes, while a former House of Reps member, Hon. Terwase Orbunde secured 3,247 votes.
The declaration put to rest earlier speculations surrounding Governor Alia’s participation in the primary after rumours circulated online claiming his name was missing from the list of cleared aspirants.
The APC committee, however, later confirmed that the governor had been duly screened and cleared for the contest.
Following the announcement, a motion for the affirmation of the results was moved by the House of Reps member representing Katsina-Ala/Logo/Ukum Federal Constituency, Hon. Solomon Wombo, and seconded by former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and former ambassador to Namibia, Hon. Terhemen Tarzoor.
Speaking after the exercise, Governor Alia expressed appreciation to God, the people of Benue State, and the APC leadership for what he described as a transparent and credible process.
“I am grateful to God for His benevolence and for the opportunity to continue serving Benue State,” Alia said.
He also commended the other aspirants for participating peacefully in the exercise and assured residents that his administration would remain committed to improving infrastructure, healthcare, and job creation across the state.
Governor Alia appealed to aggrieved aspirants who are dissatisfied with the process to set aside their grievances and team up with him to work for the success of the party ahead of 2027 general elections.
The governor noted that ongoing investments in roads, hospitals, and employment initiatives were already yielding positive results, adding that his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people.
Expressing confidence ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Alia described Benue as a stronghold of the APC and pledged to sustain support for the ruling party at both the state and national levels.
