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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consensus governorship candidate in Benue State.
He secured the ticket in Makurdi following a consensus process in which 10 other aspirants stepped down and unanimously endorsed his candidacy.
Leader of the Benue PDP and immediate past governor of the state, Chief Samuel Ortom; Senate Minority Leader, Patrick Abba Moro; State Chairman of the party, Ezekiel Adaji and the state Exco, together with the party’s State Assembly Caucus, the leadership of the G-14 and G-9 group of elders, as well as selected stakeholders all participated in the process.
The emergence of Chief Aondoakaa was arrived at by a unanimous decision and accepted by all the 10 co-contestants, each of whom spoke in affirmation of the process and its outcome.
Former Commissioner of Education and aspirant in 2023, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, while observing that the issue of zoning had not gone as he expected, said he has accepted the process and pledged his support for the candidate.
Another gubernatorial aspirant in 2023 and two-term member of the House of Assembly, Dominic Ucha, accepted the outcome of the consensus process, congratulated the candidate and pledged his support towards ensuring that the party wins.
Former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Tor Uja; former Executive Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) Dr. Tersoo Loko; Legal Luminary, Prof. Sebastine Hon; International Security Consultant, Dr. Oyije Ogbenjua; Naval Commander Ode Ojowu (retd); Tor Tiv Ato; Simon Ater and former State Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Benue State, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, all accepted the emergence of Aondoakaa and pledged to work with him to ensure victory for the party in 2027.
Chief Ortom and Sen. Moro both hailed the sense of solidarity, selflessness and loyalty to the party shown by the aspirants.
Ortom charged the aspirants to maintain the spirit and at all times place the interests of the state paramount over all other considerations, with the cardinal objective of ousting the incumbent administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia from power in the 2027 elections.
The former Governor enjoined the new PDP gubernatorial candidate to ensure that he carries all his co-aspirants along in the composition of his campaign structures and enlist their partnership towards winning at the coming polls.
The Senate Minority Leader, on his part, expressed satisfaction with the process, which he described as necessary, though difficult, to fulfill the sacred duty of providing leadership for the people of Benue State.
He stated that all PDP faithful and Benue people must embrace the mission to rescue the state from the failed leadership of Governor Alia in the 2027 elections.
Chief Aondoakaa pledged to move quickly to close ranks within the party and bind all of its membership and leadership structures into a potent force that will flush out the incumbent administration from power at the coming elections.
He appreciated the honour done to him to fly the flag of the most successful political party in the history of Nigeria and pledged to do the party proud and give high value to the mandate of the Benue electorate, when voted into power in 2027.
