22/05/2025
Aper Aku (1938–1988) was elected governor of Benue State, Nigeria in October 1979 and reelected in October 1983, he left office after the military coup in December 1983 which General Mohammadu Buhari came to power.
Aper Aku was born in 1938 in Ikyobo, Ushongo Local Government Area, Benue State. He was of Tiv origin. He had his primary education at Aku Primary School between 1943-1947 and from 1948 to 1951, he attended the Senior Primary School, Mkar. He had his senior secondary education at Government College, Keffi from 1952 to 1957, and then studied at Nigeria College of Arts and Science (later Ahmadu Bello University) from 1958 to 1961. He studied for a degree at Fourah Bay University, Sierra Leone (1961–1964). He became a teacher in 1964 at William Bristow Secondary School, Gboko, and later taught at Bauchi Provincial Secondary School and Government Secondary School, Gombe. He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1965–1966) for a post-graduate Course in Education. In 1968 he joined the Federal Government and worked with External Aid for Education and the Federal Ministry of Establishment. He was Principal of the Federal Training Centre, Kaduna (1970–1972) and a member of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (1972–1976).
In May 1974 and again in August 1974 Aku wrote to Joseph Dechi Gomwalk, Governor of Benue-Plateau State, accusing him of nepotism and financial wrongdoings, and filed affidavits to this effect. General Yakubu Gowon dismissed the allegations at the time and ordered Aku's detention. However, a probe initiated by Gowon's successor Murtala Mohammed vindicated Aku, saying that the allegations were true.
Aper Aku was appointed as Chairman of Kwande Local Government Council in 1977 by Abdullahi Shelleng, Benue state governor. He presided over a hostile council because the councillors belonged to different factions; some councillors where loyal to Joseph Tarka, Akus mentor and some were loyal to Paul Unongo, a leader of another politi
