Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has accepted his nomination as the APC's governorship candidate for 2027. He called the primary result a strong vote of confidence in his administration's work.
Alia is pursuing a second term that would run from 2027 to 2031. Party members, he said, had shown overwhelming support for his leadership and development plans.
The APC primary took place on Thursday, May 20, 2026. Results were announced Friday at the party secretariat in Makurdi.
Prof. Mohammed Kabiru Isa chaired the Governorship Primaries Committee.
He declared the official outcome at the state headquarters.
Alia dominated the race with 367,786 votes cast in his favour. Dr.
Terwase Orbunde, his closest rival, managed just 3,247 votes.
The governor thanked APC members during his acceptance remarks. He described their support as a clear mandate for continuity in his leadership.
Alia praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for maintaining fairness throughout the exercise. He also commended Prof.
Nentawe Yilwatda and Chief Benjamin Omale for their roles.
Both men oversee the national and state APC structures respectively. According to Alia, they ensured the primary remained peaceful and transparent.
In a move toward reconciliation, Alia reached out to defeated aspirants. He called on them to unite with him for the party's 2027 push.
Over three years, his administration has delivered across multiple sectors. Infrastructure, healthcare, education, industrialisation and digital innovation topped his achievements list.
Through the Benue Investment and Property Company, several factories now operate. "Zeva Premium Beer" and "Oyi Bitters" production facilities are among them.
Water, bakery, nail, polythene and fruit juice factories also came online. Industries that had shut down have now been revived, he noted.
Healthcare got a major boost under his watch. Benue State University Teaching Hospital was transformed into a modern facility.
More than 100 primary healthcare centres across the state underwent rehabilitation. These facilities now serve communities that previously lacked quality care.
Road construction became a priority for the administration. Over 500 kilometres of roads were built in total.
Makurdi and Gboko both received underpasses under this programme. Infrastructure improved connectivity across the state's major cities.
Education witnessed dramatic expansion during Alia's tenure. Classroom blocks — more than 400 of them — were either constructed or remodeled in public primary schools.
Teacher recruitment surged to address staffing shortages. Over 10,000 educators joined the public service to improve learning outcomes.
A new university was established in Ihugh. Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology aims to produce graduates with practical agro-technology skills.
Alia's administration pushed digital transformation aggressively. Partnerships with Microsoft and Google have trained over 10,000 youths in information and communications technology.
Civil servants also received e-governance training under the initiative. It's part of a broader modernisation drive across state institutions.
The governor called for peace across political, ethnic and religious lines. He promised to govern with transparency, compassion and accountability going forward.
Alia stressed that winning the ticket wasn't personal glory. Instead, he saw it as a renewed call to serve the people better.
