[1] Aper Aku was born in 1938 in Ikyobo, Ushongo Local Government Area, Benue State.

[1] 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.

[3][4] Aper Aku was appointed as Chairman of Kwande Local Government Council in 1977 by Abdullahi Shelleng, Benue state governor.

[5] Aku resigned as chairman of the local council in 1978 and subsequently entered the Benue State primary race for governor under the banner of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

[1][6] Aku faced severe problems as governor in a state with a long history of neglect, particularly in the southern area which was inhabited by minority groups.

Aku encouraged mass agricultural production, and during his tenure the state produced bumper harvests of local crops such as yams, cassava, soya beans, cowpea, maize, guinea corn, millet, groundnut, banana, mangoes and oranges.

[7] On 31 December 1983 General Muhammadu Buhari took power in a coup, and replaced the civilian governors with military officers.

[9] Buhari jailed Aku and most of the other Governors, setting up military tribunals to investigate their conduct while in office.