Fresh tension is brewing within the Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party following the reported emergence of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, as a consensus governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 election.
The development has triggered opposition from four governorship aspirants from the Jechira axis, who insist the party’s governorship ticket should remain in the zone in line with an earlier zoning understanding.
The aspirants — Dennis Ityavyar, Dominic Terkaa Ucha, Peter Terwase Tortiv-Ato, and Ater Simon Ayangalumun — made their position known in a protest letter addressed to the Benue State PDP Chairman, Ezekiel Adaji.
In the letter, the aspirants described moves to shift the governorship ticket from Jechira to Kwande as premature and contrary to the zoning arrangement allegedly agreed upon by party stakeholders in 2023.
According to them, the PDP had resolved that the governorship position would remain in the Jechira axis for eight years, similar to arrangements previously enjoyed by other zones in the state.
The aggrieved aspirants also dismissed claims that they had stepped down or surrendered their ambitions, maintaining that they remain firmly in the race and committed to defending Jechira’s claim to the ticket.
Confirming the development in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP, Benue PDP Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, said the party chairman had received the protest letter.
Although the 2027 governorship election is still some distance away, the latest disagreement signals growing internal divisions within the Benue PDP as political realignments begin to take shape ahead of the contest.
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