Benue ADC Guber Candidate Faults Exclusion of Benue Indigenes from Tinubu Campaign Team

*Says Atiku-led government would restore Benue’s rightful place in national politics

By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Benue State, Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe, has criticised the alleged exclusion of Benue indigenes from the recently constituted All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Hembe, in a statement signed by Sir Peter Vande, described the development as a deliberate political decision rather than an oversight, warning that it could have implications for the relationship between the people of Benue and the ruling APC.

The statement said the composition of the campaign team had raised concerns about the place of Benue in the political calculations of the ruling party.

> “The recent release of the presidential campaign council list by the Tinubu APC has exposed a deliberate and calculated exclusion of Benue people from national reckoning.

> “This is not an oversight. This is a message, and every Benue person must read it correctly. There will be no room for Benue if, God forbid, Tinubu is declared winner.”

The group argued that the people of Benue had made significant contributions to Nigeria’s unity and development and should not be treated as an afterthought in national political affairs.

It described Benue as one of Nigeria’s major ethnic constituencies, stressing that its people had contributed significantly to the country’s development and should be actively involved in national political decision-making.

“We have shed blood and sweat for the unity of this country. We are, and have always been, a beautiful tribe that deserves to be courted diligently, not a bystander invited only when convenient,” the statement added.

The organisation further questioned whether Benue could expect adequate political representation under the APC-led Federal Government if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins the 2027 presidential election.

It said the alleged exclusion of Benue APC members from the campaign council should concern stakeholders across the state, particularly those interested in the state’s political representation and development.

Hembe reaffirmed his commitment to the welfare, security and political interests of the people of Benue, saying fair representation should be an important consideration in determining political support.

“The arithmetic does not add up, and the intentions are becoming harder to disguise.

“As someone who has always held the wellbeing and security of the Benue people at heart, Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe wishes to assure Benue people that fair representation matters, and that a ruling party which takes an entire people for granted cannot expect their loyalty or votes in return,” the statement said.

The organisation urged Benue residents to consider the ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 election, describing him as a politician familiar with the concerns of the people of the state.

It further claimed that an Atiku-Amaechi administration would restore Benue to what it described as its “rightful position” in Nigeria’s political affairs.

The group also said the ADC presidential ticket offered what it described as better prospects for improving the living conditions of Nigerians.

The allegations and political claims contained in the statement represent the position of Hembe and the organisation and could not be independently verified.