Dr. Mathias Byuan, the sole governorship aspirant of the Labour Party (LP) in Benue State, has publicly dissociated himself from the ongoing governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. He described the inclusion of his name on the party's list of cleared aspirants as false, misleading, and unauthorized.
Background of the Controversy
Byuan, a philanthropist and governorship hopeful under the Labour Party platform, made the clarification in a statement personally signed on Thursday. This followed the release of the APC list of cleared aspirants for the Benue governorship primaries. The APC had earlier published the names of aspirants cleared to participate in the gubernatorial contest across the 23 local government areas of Benue State, with Dr. Byuan's name appearing among the contenders.
Official Statement and Denial
Reacting to the development in a statement titled, "Unauthorized Circulation of my name as an APC Gubernatorial Aspirant for Benue State," the LP aspirant insisted that he had long resigned his membership of the APC and formally withdrawn from all processes relating to the party's governorship race. He stated, "I, Mathias Terwase Byuan PhD, wish to state without any iota of ambiguity that I am no longer a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and I am not an aspirant for the office of Governor of Benue State under the APC."
Resignation and Legal Steps
According to Byuan, he officially resigned his membership of the APC on May 7, 2026, through a written notification addressed to his Council Ward Chairman. Copies of the resignation letter were also transmitted to the National Chairman of the party and acknowledged accordingly. He further disclosed that he forwarded copies of his resignation through DHL to avoid any dispute over service, and executed a Notary Public attestation confirming his voluntary withdrawal from the APC governorship race.
Byuan explained that he equally submitted a formal letter withdrawing his candidacy to the Chairman of the APC Screening Committee. He stressed that he did not participate in the party's screening exercise and could therefore not have been legitimately listed among cleared aspirants. "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 unauthorized. I am not bound by any resolution or process relating to the said primaries," he added.
Commitment to Labour Party
The Benue politician stated that he is now fully participating in the governorship process of the Labour Party, noting that he has already been screened by the party and is awaiting the LP governorship primaries scheduled for May 30, 2026. To support his claims, Dr. Byuan attached copies of documents including his APC resignation letter to his ward chairman, acknowledged copies sent to the party leadership, his notarized voluntary withdrawal, his withdrawal letter to the APC screening committee, as well as the screening certificate issued to him by the Labour Party.
Appeal to the Public and Media
He consequently urged members of the public, party supporters, and media organisations to disregard any information linking him with the APC governorship primaries in Benue State. Despite his departure from the APC, Dr. Byuan reiterated his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the administration's Renewed Hope Agenda, calling on Benue people to support the President in the 2027 election. He also appealed to voters in the state to support his governorship ambition under the Labour Party and rally behind other LP candidates in the forthcoming elections.
