Why Is Benue Still Supporting APC Despite Killings and Governance Failures?

In recent years, Benue State has found itself at the heart of a troubling paradox—one where loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) persists despite a backdrop of violence, displacement, and governance failures. The state continues to reel from relentless attacks on farming communities, with countless lives lost and thousands forced into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Yet, in the midst of this suffering, some sections of the population remain steadfast in their support for APC and even campaign vigorously for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This contradiction raises difficult questions about political allegiance, survival, and the future of Benue.

Many argue that Governor Hyacinth Alia is doing his best to secure lives and property, and indeed, his efforts have earned praise from certain quarters. But others see a government overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis, unable to stem the tide of bloodshed that continues to haunt rural communities. The situation is further complicated by whispers of a political rift between the governor and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume—a man widely believed to have played a pivotal role in Alia’s emergence. This tension, whether real or perceived, has fueled speculation that internal power struggles are distracting from the urgent need to protect citizens.

Meanwhile, the people most affected by this crisis—the villagers—continue to suffer in silence. They are killed in their farms, driven from their homes, and left to languish in overcrowded IDP camps with little hope of return. The normalization of this tragedy is perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of all. It is as though the deaths, the displacement, and the despair have become routine, woven into the fabric of daily life in Benue. And still, the political machinery grinds on, with campaigns and rallies that seem disconnected from the lived reality of the people.

Is this how things will remain? Will Benue continue to be a state where political loyalty overshadows human suffering, where internal party drama takes precedence over the cries of the displaced? Or will there come a time when the people demand more—more accountability, more compassion, and more action? The answers may not be simple, but the questions must be asked. Because behind every statistic is a human life, and behind every campaign banner is a community waiting for peace.

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