•Ortom slams Alia over ‘trillion-Naira’ funds
From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
In a strategic move aimed at generational inclusion, the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, has been affirmed as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Benue State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a major highlight of his acceptance speech at the PDP congress in Makurdi on Sunday, Aondoakaa announced 38-year-old Dr. Oyije Ochaekiti Ogbenjuwa as his running mate—a deliberate nod to the state’s youth population.
Pledging a leadership anchored on peace, justice, and responsiveness, Aondoakaa stated that Benue stands at a critical historical crossroads.
He vowed that his administration would transition from “promises to opportunities,” outlining a multi-sectoral agenda.
“Ours is a movement to restore dignity and protect lives.
“Our campaign will not be built on bitterness, division, or hatred, but on ideas, solutions, and unity,” Aondoakaa declared, urging party members to close ranks and take the PDP message to all 276 wards.
The congress also served as a political battleground, with former Benue Governor and PDP leader, Chief Samuel Ortom, launching a fierce critique against the incumbent Governor, Hyacinth Alia.
Endorsing Aondoakaa as a “tested and trusted” leader who will not offer excuses to citizens or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Ortom vehemently denied claims made by Governor Alia on national television regarding a four-year backlog of unpaid salaries.
Ortom challenged the current administration’s transparency, presenting a stark comparative breakdown of state revenue.
