Akume’s wife, David Mark’s daughter clinch Benue APC Reps tickets as 6 lawmakers lose re-election bid

Regina Akume, wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency seat in Benue State.

Akume secured victory in the APC primary election held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, paving the way for her bid to represent the constituency in the House of Representatives.

The chairman of the National Assembly Primary Election Committee in Benue State, Sabiu Mahuta, announced the results at the APC secretariat in Makurdi, the state capital, on Sunday.

In a related development, Blessing Onuh, daughter of former Senate President and current National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, also clinched the APC ticket to seek another term in the House of Representatives.

Onuh defeated three other aspirants to win the party’s primary for the Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency.

Ojotu Ojema also emerged as the APC candidate for the Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, while Terfa Ikper secured the Makurdi/Guma ticket.

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Gideon Inyom was declared winner of the Buruku Federal Constituency primary, just as Terhemba Nongo won the APC ticket for the Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency.

Meanwhile, six House of Representatives members on the platform of the APC in Benue State lost their re-election bid.

The results declared by Mahuta showed that only four out of the 11 seats retained their nomination, as the other member defected to the Labour Party before the primary election.

The lawmakers lost to candidates believed to be loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia.

The member representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, Austin Achado, and the member representing Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, David Ogewu, lost their re-election bids.

Others who lost their return tickets include Terseer Ugbor of Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, Sekav Iyortyom of Buruku Federal Constituency, and Dickson Tarkighir of Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency.

Mahuta said the winners met both the electoral requirements and APC guidelines for the conduct of the primaries and were accordingly declared winners of the elections.