Part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign office in Makurdi, Benue State, has been demolished by officials of the Benue State Urban Development Board.
The building, which also serves as the state headquarters of the Ahmed Bola Tinubu Support Group, reportedly had its perimeter fence torn down during the Thursday operation.
The campaign office was only inaugurated last week, in a ceremony attended by supporters from Benue and neighbouring North-Central states. The event was convened by Dr. Mathias Byuan, Executive Director of Housing, Finance and Accounts at the Federal Housing Authority, who also serves as the group’s National Coordinator.
Reacting to the incident, the Director-General of the support group, Dr. Tarnongo Simon, condemned the demolition, calling it “unprovoked and unjustified.”
He said the secretariat had a valid Certificate of Occupancy and an approved building plan issued by the same development board now responsible for its partial demolition.
“We came into the office this morning to work when officials suddenly arrived and began pulling down the fence without any notice. This action is unacceptable and clearly uncalled for. However, it won’t shake our resolve or our commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for a stronger North Central,” he stated.
However, the Benue State Government denied any political motivation behind the exercise.
In a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, the government clarified that the structure was affected by an ongoing road dualisation project along the Wurukum–Yaikyor–Apir–Ikpayongo axis — part of the Federal Government-backed Makurdi–Enugu highway expansion.
According to Tersoo, only buildings encroaching on the designated right of way or lacking proper approvals were affected. He insisted that owners of legally approved structures had been duly compensated.
“It is misleading for anyone whose property has been marked for demolition to politicise the process by repainting or mounting billboards of national leaders in order to evoke sympathy or blackmail the government,” the statement read.
He further urged the public to disregard “false narratives being pushed by mischief-makers,” stressing that the demolition was part of a lawful infrastructure renewal drive, not political victimisation.
Despite these clarifications, the incident has reignited tension between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. Several top members of the Tinubu support group in Benue are known allies of Akume, fuelling speculation of a deeper political rift behind the demolition.
