By Our Reporter

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Benue State gubernatorial aspirant under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sebastine Hon, has promised Nigerians “law, order and prosperity” if the horse party is voted into power.

Addressing the SDP National Convention delegates on Saturday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, Bauchi State, the guber hopeful said SDP represents a platform for “law, order and prosperity” in Nigeria.

He urged party members and supporters across Nigeria to mobilize for victory.

Prof. Hon also congratulated Prince Adebayo Adewale who was voted the Presidential Candidate of the party at the convention.

Prince Adewale was the party’s presidential candidate in 2023.

Earlier in his address, the National Chairman of SDP, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe decried the state of affairs saying, “Nigeria is bleeding. Nigeria is in dire need of upright leadership, committed to the well-being of the generality of Nigerians.

“I assure you, SDP is the alternative platform.”

Meanwhile, Prof Hon’s entry into SDP has been described as a boost for the party’s profile in Benue State and the North-Central region.

A delegate who made this assertion added that the aspirant’s record as a legal practitioner and philanthropist positioned him as a credible alternative for voters seeking change in the state in 2027.

He expressed confidence in Prof. Hon, describing him as an accomplished legal luminary, a complete gentleman with the fear of God and a philanthropist.

Political observers say Prof. Hon’s entry will reshape the contest, particularly among professionals, civil society groups, women and youths dissatisfied with the management of insecurity, delivery of development projects and job creation in Benue State.

While acknowledging a hitch free meeting, the Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, Prof. Usman Bugaje lamented that Nigerians have been left in excruciating poverty, adding that SDP is positioned to provide fresh and competent leaders for the country.

“Our great supporters, it’s time for a change,” he charged the crowd.

_Gains traction, unsettling Zam, other aspirants

By Felix Umande from Makurdi

The race for the Benue North West, Zone B, Senatorial seat has taken a dramatic turn with the emergence of retired Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Benjamin Terseer Aber, as a late but formidable contender, with insiders describing him as the preferred candidate within Governor Hyacinth Alia’s political camp.

Aber’s entry into the contest has unsettled the field, sending what sources call “suppressed fear” within the camps of other aspirants, including Senator Titus Zam, former Reps member Hon. Emmanuel Jime, Hon. Dave Awunah, Hon. Raymond Anger, and other party chieftains yet to pick their interest forms.

The development is reshaping the dynamics ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, with Aber now positioned as the likely main challenger to the sitting senator, Titus Zam.

Aber, who hails from Shough Council Ward in Mbaivur, Gwer East Local Government Area, only recently stepped up his political visibility. He has already picked the senatorial Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms and is currently conducting consultations across the seven local government areas that make up Zone B.

His sudden momentum is largely attributed to his growing closeness with Governor Alia. The relationship has bolstered his standing within the governor’s camp and signaled a possible shift in the party’s internal calculations for the senatorial ticket.

Political observers say the timing of his emergence has caught many off guard. “Those who had felt they had secured wide acceptance and were coasting toward the primaries are now recalculating,” a party stakeholder in Makurdi noted.

Aber’s political profile is further strengthened by his family connection to the state’s power structure. He is the husband of the current Secretary to the Benue State Government, Dcns Serumun Deborah Aber, Esq., a position that places him at the centre of the administration’s inner circle.

The visibility of that alliance has amplified perceptions that Aber enjoys the governor’s backing, even as the Alia administration maintains a public posture of neutrality in party contests.

Senator Titus Zam, who currently represents Zone B, has been consolidating his base since the last election. However, Aber’s entry introduces a new variable into the race, with the retired customs officer leveraging both his administrative background and his administrative ties to the state government.

For many within the APC, Aber represents a fresh option that blends technocratic experience with direct access to the executive that would enhance more democracy gains for Zone B. For others, his late entry is seen as an attempt to upend an already crowded and contentious primary field.

But his entry no doubt has triggered mixed reactions among political commentators and party faithful. While some view Aber’s rise as a corrective move to introduce a stronger, more coordinated candidate against the incumbent, others see him as a disruptive force that could deepen factional lines within the party.

“His coming has created a political shift,” a commentator in Gboko said. “He now appears to be the main force to battle Senator Zam in the field at the primaries.”

With consultations ongoing and the primary timetable approaching, the latest candidate is no doubt dominating political conversations in Zone B now. But whether his late entry translates into the APC ticket will be seen in a matter of weeks.

By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday dares Turaki factions in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to open an official party bank account and secretariat if they truly believe they control the opposition party’s structure.

Speaking during a live media chat with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike accused some party leaders of misleading Nigerians and violating court judgments in the lingering leadership crisis rocking the PDP.

The former Rivers State governor insisted that the faction opposing the party’s recognised leadership lacked legal standing and could not lawfully operate the affairs of the party.

“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it,” Wike said.

He specifically challenged Taminu Turaki, SAN, and other leaders of the rival camp to test their claims by opening a bank account in the name of the PDP.

“Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, you will see what will happen,” he stated.

Wike argued that no bank would recognise such an account because the faction allegedly lacks the legally recognised party structure and documentation required to operate.

“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?” he queried.

The FCT minister also warned against attempts to establish what he described as illegal party offices, vowing that any action capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Abuja would not be tolerated.

“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.

Wike maintained that court judgments had already settled the dispute over the PDP leadership and convention issues, accusing some actors of twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.

“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.

The minister further dismissed claims that the Supreme Court ruling favoured the rival faction, insisting that the legal processes and decisions available supported his position and that of the recognised party leadership.

According to him, attempts to reinterpret the judgments outside the established legal context were aimed at confusing party members and the public.

Wike said he remained a committed member of the PDP and was only defending what he described as constitutional order and due process within the party.

The PDP has remained embroiled in internal leadership disputes following disagreements over the party’s convention, caretaker arrangements and recognition of key national officers ahead of the 2027 general elections.