Dr Mathias Byuan, a philanthropist and the sole governorship aspirant of the Labour Party (LP) in Benue State, has distanced himself from the ongoing governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He described the inclusion of his name among cleared aspirants as “false, misleading and unauthorised.”
Byuan Rejects APC List
In a statement personally signed on Thursday, May 21, Byuan said he had formally resigned from the APC earlier this month and had withdrawn his governorship ambition under the ruling party before the release of the list of aspirants. The APC had earlier published the names of aspirants cleared to participate in its governorship primaries across Benue State’s 23 local government areas, with Byuan’s name appearing among the contenders.
Byuan stated that he neither participated in the APC screening exercise nor authorised the use of his name in connection with the primaries. “I am no longer a member of the APC, and I am not an aspirant for the office of Governor of Benue State under the APC,” he said in the statement titled “Unauthorised Circulation of my Name as an APC Gubernatorial Aspirant for Benue State.”
Resignation from APC
According to him, he resigned his APC membership on May 7, 2026, through a letter addressed to his ward chairman and subsequently forwarded copies to the party’s national leadership. Byuan also submitted a formal withdrawal letter to the APC screening committee alongside a notarised attestation confirming his voluntary withdrawal from the race. He attached copies of the documents, including proof of delivery and acknowledgement, to the statement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, any list, publication, or circulation bearing my name as an aspirant cleared to contest for the APC governorship ticket is false, misleading, and unauthorised,” he said. He urged party members, supporters, media organisations and the public to disregard any information linking him to the APC governorship primaries in the state.
Labour Party Ambition
The governorship hopeful confirmed that he is now contesting under the Labour Party and has already completed the party’s screening process ahead of its scheduled primaries on May 30, 2026. Despite leaving the APC, Byuan reiterated his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He called on Benue residents to support his governorship ambition as well as Labour Party candidates in the state during the 2027 elections.
In a related development, the APC has declared Obafemi Hamzat as its governorship candidate for Lagos ahead of the 2027 general elections, following a direct primary held across the state. Hamzat, currently serving as deputy governor, praised the conduct of the exercise, stating that the process was peaceful, transparent and a reflection of internal democracy within the ruling party.
