Benue APC feud may cause shake-up in Reps leadership

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The House of Representatives is set for a shake-up in its leadership, with a new deputy spokesperson expected to emerge in the coming weeks, following plans by Philip Agbese to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress for the Labour Party.

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Agbese, who represents Ado/Ogbadibo/Okokwu Federal Constituency of Benue State, is said to have concluded arrangements to defect ahead of the 2027 elections.

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A source familiar with the development told The PUNCH that the lawmaker’s decision is not unconnected with the deepening political crisis rocking the APC in Benue State, particularly the prolonged feud between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

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The crisis dates back to the aftermath of the 2023 general election when Alia, a Catholic priest, emerged as governor on the APC platform, ending years of opposition rule in the state. However, his victory did little to unify the party.

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Akume, a former governor and long-standing political leader in the state, is widely regarded as the architect of the APC’s structure in Benue.

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Tensions began to build shortly after Alia assumed office, amid allegations by the governor that Akume continued to exert undue influence over party affairs and federal lawmakers from the state.

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The situation worsened as both camps struggled for control of the party machinery.

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Alia’s loyalists accuse Akume of mobilising National Assembly members against the governor in Abuja, while Akume’s supporters insist the governor has sidelined key party stakeholders and ignored calls for inclusiveness.

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Efforts to broker peace have repeatedly failed, as interventions by the Presidency, the APC national leadership, and the Tor Tiv, James Ayatse, have not yielded results.

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In December 2025, Vice President Kashim Shettima publicly warned that the lingering dispute could have “grave consequences” for Benue State and the North-Central region if not resolved before 2027.

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Agbese is believed to be aligned with the Akume camp, placing him at odds with the governor, who is expected to play a decisive role in determining APC ticket holders in the state.

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With his political future within the APC uncertain, the lawmaker is said to have opted to test his chances on the platform of the Labour Party.

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A close associate of the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the defection is only a matter of time.

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“He (Agbese) is going to the Labour Party with his supporters. What is happening in Benue APC is difficult to describe, but time will reveal a lot of things.

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“The reason he has not defected is partly that the House is not in session now, but he also needs to formally inform the Speaker, who is his friend.

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“Everything has been concluded, but he needs the Speaker’s nod for his final departure. Apart from politics, he is a friend of Mr Speaker, and out of respect for him, he has not made his imminent move public,” he said.

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Should the defection materialise, the leadership of the 10th House, under Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, will be required to appoint a new deputy spokesperson.

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By parliamentary tradition, since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the ruling party has retained control of spokesperson roles in both chambers of the National Assembly.

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Agbese’s exit from the APC would therefore automatically create a vacancy that must be filled from within the majority party.

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The development is expected to unfold when the National Assembly resumes plenary from its Sallah break on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

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