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George Okoh in Makurdi
Members of the President Tinubu Support Group in Benue State have accused the Benue state government of deliberately destroying the group’s in Makurdi.
The demolition took place yesterday along Otukpo Road in the Benue State capital, leaving many residents and party supporters stunned. Bulldozers belonging to the Benue State Urban Development Board (BSUDB) were seen pulling down the freshly branded structure amid heavy security presence. The order, according to credible sources, came directly from the state government.
The demolished structure had only been inaugurated last Friday, October 31, 2025, in a colourful ceremony that attracted party leaders, Nollywood figures, and a massive crowd of supporters from the 23 local government areas of Benue State.
The office was set up as a central hub for the Renewed Hope 2027 project, aimed at mobilising support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The launch was the first major political gathering of its kind since 2023, and many saw it as a sign of renewed enthusiasm for the president’s agenda in Benue. But yesterday’s action has left party loyalists bewildered and angry, with many questioning Governor Alia’s commitment to the APC and its leadership at the national level.
“This is unbelievable. How can a sitting APC governor demolish the campaign office of his own president?” asked an APC stalwart from Gboko. “At a time when the party is celebrating the defection of prominent figures from other political platforms into the APC, Benue is sending the wrong signal to the entire country.”
A member of the party, who don’t want his name mentioned, described the act as “a shocking display of political recklessness.”
He said: “This was not a factional structure. It was a unifying symbol for APC supporters in Benue. Pulling it down sends a dangerous message ahead of 2027, that not everyone within the party is on board with the Renewed Hope agenda.”
Political analysts warned that the demolition could widen the rift between Governor Alia and the mainstream APC leadership both in Benue and at the national level. For many in the state, the incident has become yet another reminder of the uneasy relationship between the governor and the party that brought him to power.
Meanwhile, the state government has denied targeting the Tinubu office.
It said its attention had been drawn to mischievous attempts by some desperate individuals to misrepresent the ongoing demolition exercise along the Wurukum–Yaikyor-Apir-Ikpayongo axis of Makurdi.
According to the government, for the avoidance of doubt, the demolitions currently taking place on designated road setbacks and rights of way are part of the legitimate and well-supervised dualisation of the Makurdi–Enugu highway, a critical infrastructure project of the federal government with cooperation from state governments designed to ease traffic, improve safety, and promote socio-economic growth.
The Governor’s Press Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Kula, said it is on record that the government, through the relevant agencies, conducted thorough assessments on all approved structures affected by the dualisation project.
