President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the formation of a high-level reconciliation committee aimed at resolving the ongoing internal disagreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, appointing the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as chairman.
The committee brings together several senior figures within the ruling party, including Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, former Zamfara State governor Abdulaziz Yari, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara. Also appointed to the committee is Ibrahim Masari, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters.
According to details of the committee’s composition, the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Professor Jake Dan-Azumi, will serve as secretary, while Abdullahi Gashua, Chief of Staff to the Yobe State Governor, will be part of the committee’s secretariat.
The reconciliation committee has been tasked with addressing the deepening crisis within the APC in Benue State, where prolonged factional disputes have affected party cohesion and political coordination. Its mandate includes examining the underlying causes of divisions within the party, engaging with aggrieved stakeholders and party leaders, and facilitating dialogue aimed at rebuilding trust and unity.
In addition to mediating between conflicting factions, the committee is expected to propose long-term solutions, including structural, procedural, and strategic reforms designed to prevent future internal conflicts and strengthen the party’s organisational framework in the state.
The panel will also compile a comprehensive report outlining its findings and recommendations, which will be submitted to President Tinubu for further consideration and possible implementation.
Sources familiar with the development indicated that the committee is expected to begin its assignment immediately, with consultations planned across Benue State involving party executives, elected officials, and other key stakeholders.
This appointment marks the second time President Tinubu has assigned Speaker Abbas to lead a reconciliation effort within the APC. Approximately four months earlier, Abbas chaired a similar committee established to address internal disputes within the party in Bauchi State, underscoring the administration’s reliance on dialogue-driven conflict resolution within the ruling party.
