Party dismisses report as false, insists Aondoakaa remains its 2027 governorship candidate
The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed a social media report alleging that its leader and immediate past governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, convened an emergency meeting of party stakeholders in Makurdi to discuss court cases involving its 2027 governorship candidate, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN.
The party described the report as false, mischievous and misleading, accusing its promoters of attempting to create the impression of an internal crisis within its ranks.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, said no such meeting had taken place and maintained that Ortom was not in Makurdi at the time of the alleged gathering.
The statement was a response to a publication by Benue News, an online platform which the PDP said was associated with supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
According to the party, the report’s claim that stakeholders met at Ortom’s residence and disagreed over Aondoakaa’s candidacy was entirely fabricated.
PDP Reaffirms Aondoakaa’s Candidacy
The opposition party maintained that it had neither considered nor discussed replacing Aondoakaa as its candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
It said pending litigation involving the candidate had not altered its position, insisting that Aondoakaa remained its flag bearer.
The PDP also denied allegations that it planned to pressure or intimidate the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Hon. Demain Adagba, into withdrawing his case against Aondoakaa.
Antyo described the allegation as an attempt to manufacture controversy and damage the party’s reputation.
“The PDP is a law-abiding political party that respects the independence of the judiciary and the right of every litigant to pursue lawful remedies,” the statement said.
The party added that it had confidence in the judicial process and would not resort to intimidation, coercion or any underhanded tactics to influence the outcome of a court case.
Party Accuses Political Actors of Spreading Misinformation
The Benue PDP expressed concern over what it described as the fabrication of meetings, attribution of fictitious statements to party leaders and presentation of alleged internal disagreements as established facts.
It urged those responsible for the publication and its circulation to desist from spreading what it called fake news for political propaganda.
The party further cautioned that political differences should not be used as justification for misleading the public or maligning individuals.
It also appealed to members of the public, particularly its supporters, to disregard the report and avoid sharing unverified information capable of creating confusion within the party.
PDP Says It Remains Focused on 2027 Elections
Reaffirming its commitment to its political objectives, the party said the controversy would not distract it from preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The statement reiterated that there was no plan to replace Aondoakaa and maintained that the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice remained the party’s governorship candidate.
The PDP concluded with a political message to those it accused of orchestrating the report, expressing confidence in its preparations for the forthcoming election.
The claims and counterclaims surrounding the alleged meeting and the candidate’s legal challenges could not be independently verified from the statement alone.