NDC Accuses APC of Political Intimidation, Govt Says Allegations Are “Unfounded”

By Felix Umande

The convoy of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, was attacked in Makurdi on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, as he visited Benue State to commiserate with victims of the 2025 attacks in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area.

The Benue State Government has, however, denied any involvement, describing the allegations as “unfounded.”

According to the NDC Benue State Chapter, “a handful of thugs attacked his convoy, throwing stones and chanting slogans including ‘Obi should go back,’ ‘Tinubu must stay,’ and ‘No Alia, No Benue.’”

The party said the incident occurred while Obi was in the state capital to identify with victims of recent attacks. It also claimed that relief materials worth “billions of naira” brought by Obi were looted by hoodlums during the incident.

The NDC condemned the attack as “senseless, unacceptable, and a disturbing indication of the growing intolerance toward opposition voices in the State.” The party linked it to what it called the government’s failure to adequately address security challenges, including persistent attacks by armed groups suspected to be Fulani militias.

Reacting to the incident, Peter Obi said he was not in Benue “to cause chaos but to sympathize with victims of the attacks and identify with their pain.” He described the attack as an infringement on his fundamental human rights, especially with political campaigns now declared open by INEC.

Obi appealed to supporters to remain calm and shun reprisals. He described the action as “a sign of nervousness” by the APC ahead of elections, and expressed confidence that the NDC would prevail.

NDC Governorship Candidate, Prof. Terhemba Shija, also condemned the attack and warned against acts capable of provoking tension.

NDC State Chairman, Mr. Ohini Ojegbe, urged Benue people to reject political intimidation, reaffirming that the NDC is anchored on “rule of law, justice, accountability, inclusion, and service to the people.”

The party has called on security agencies to investigate and bring those responsible, as well as any sponsors, to justice.

In a swift response, the Benue State Government, through Chief Press Secretary Sir Tersoo Kula, rejected the claims “in the strongest terms.”

“We wish to emphatically deny that the government of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has an idea of what Mr. Obi is talking about,” the statement said. It described the allegations as “a desperate attempt to drag Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Benue people into what may be an internal political matter within the NDC.”

The government said Governor Alia “is averse to the promotion of thuggery” and does not “engage, patronize, or deploy thugs.” It added that security agencies, not thugs, are responsible for handling threats.

The statement also questioned Obi’s visit, saying it was “curious that an individual presenting himself as a presidential candidate could arrive in a state without the relevant security authorities being formally informed.”

“We therefore urge the public to disregard the allegations linking the State Government to any incident that happened around the NDC Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi,” Kula stated. “Benue remains open to legitimate visitors, political actors and all Nigerians who come in peace.”

Ortom, Aondoakaa Rally Zone C for PDP, Accuse Alia Govt of Neglect

By Felix Umande

Otukpo, the capital of Benue South Senatorial District, came to a standstill on Saturday as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officially flagged off the campaign of Senate Minority Leader, Senator Patrick Abba Moro, for the 2027 senatorial election.

The event at St. Andrew’s Primary School Field drew an overwhelming crowd of supporters, party leaders, and defectors from other parties, which the PDP described as a “powerful expression of unity, hope, and determination.”

In a statement, the Benue PDP commended the turnout, saying it reflected the people’s desire for “purposeful representation, responsive leadership, accountability, and meaningful development.”

State Chairman, Rt. Hon. Ezekiel Awulu Adaji, who presented party flags to Senator Moro, four National Assembly candidates and eleven State Assembly candidates, commended party leaders including former Governor Chief Samuel Ortom, Governorship Candidate Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, and other stakeholders for strengthening the party’s resolve for an “issue-based, peaceful, and inclusive” campaign.

Senator Moro said his re-election bid was a “renewed commitment to the people” and not just a quest for another term. He accused the Alia-led administration of failing Zone C despite receiving over ₦35 billion monthly from the Federation Account in the last three years.

“The Alia-led administration has completely failed the people of Benue South Senatorial District,” Moro said, challenging the government to provide factual evidence of its achievements.

He listed his record in the Senate, including sponsoring about 16 bills, moving 16 motions, and attracting projects to all nine local government areas in Zone C.

Former Governor Chief Samuel Ortom urged voters to unite behind Senator Moro and all PDP candidates.
“This election is an opportunity to choose credible leadership, progress, accountability, and meaningful development. Let us stand united, support our candidates, and cast our votes for the party that represents our collective hopes and aspirations,” Ortom said.

PDP Governorship Candidate, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, who appeared with running mate Dr. Oyije Ochaekiti Ogbenjuwa, described the PDP as the team committed to good governance and development. He lamented the neglect of Zone C under the current administration despite “unprecedented resources” and assured that a PDP government would address the zone’s needs in 2027.

A major highlight of the rally was the defection of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other parties to the PDP. They unanimously adopted Senator Moro as their consensus candidate for 2027.

Prominent APC chieftain in Zone C, Barrister John Ochoga, also defected to the PDP with his supporters.

Other dignitaries present included PDP Senatorial Candidates for Benue North-West, Dr. (Mrs.) Eunice Ortom, and Benue North-East, Hon. Thomas Tyolumun Unongo, as well as members of the State Executive Committee.

The PDP said the massive turnout “has sent a strong message that the PDP is ready, the movement is growing, and the journey to victory has begun.”

By Vincent Tyosuugh

African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2027 governorship candidate in Benue State, Rt. Hon. Herman Hembe, has kicked against the exclusion of the Tiv ethnic group from the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This reaction trails the All Progressives Congress, Saturday release of the complete membership list of its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council without any member of the Tiv race, the highest in the Middle and the fourth most populated ethnic group in Nigeria.

Only three people from Benue State made the list. The three are former President of the Senate, Ameh Ebute; former Deputy Governor of the state, Steven Lawani; and Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi.

According to a statement issued by the Hembe/Abba Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, signed by Sir Peter Vande, which was made available to newsmen on Sunday night, said the development was a deliberate political decision.

The statement read in part:

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

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

The organisation said the Tiv people had contributed significantly to Nigeria’s unity and development and should not be treated as an afterthought in national political calculations.

“We are the fourth-largest tribe in Nigeria. We have shed blood 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, however, said the Tiv people should not be likened to someone seeking attention where none existed, stressing that the Tiv as one of Nigeria’s major ethnic groups deserved to be deliberately courted in the nation’s political process.

It further argued that the exclusion of Tiv APC members from the presidential campaign council should concern every serious-minded Tiv person and questioned whether the Tiv people could expect adequate representation in government if President Bola Tinubu wins the 2027 election.

The organisation said its governorship candidate, Herman Hembe, remained committed to the welfare, security and political interests of the people of Benue, adding that fair representation should be a major consideration in determining political loyalty and electoral support.

Hembe used the opportunity to urge the people of Benue to back the African Democratic Congress’ presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who he described as a politician familiar with the concerns of the Tiv people.

The organisation said an Atiku/Amaechi administration would restore the Tiv and Benue people to what it described as their rightful position in Nigeria’s political affairs, while also claiming that Atiku had better plans for improving the lives of Nigerians.

Similarly, the All Progressives Congress in the state has decried the exclusion of the Tiv ethnic group from the party’s presidential campaign council.

Daniel Ihomun, the state publicity secretary of the Agada-led faction loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday, argued that the majority of members who made the list, especially those from the North-Central, were Muslims.

He said, “We, the party in the state, are not happy with the list released in the President Bola Tinubu Campaign Council because Tiv people are excluded from the list.

“There are so many Muslims on the list, especially in North-Central. The former Director-General of the Tinubu campaign in 2023 was not on the list. We Christians are not happy; we have been shortchanged.

“With the Tiv population in Nigeria, you cannot neglect us like that. We contributed to Tinubu’s victory in 2023; it’s like we have been neglected.

“With what has happened, the President is making the job (campaign) difficult for us.”