2023: It’s official, Benson Abounu joins governorship race

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and the State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP today met with 21 gubernatorial aspirants of the party at the New Banquet Hall of Benue Peoples House Makurdi.

Governor Ortom who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said they had agreed to work together for a common purpose, stressing that they would consolidate on the gains already made by PDP in the past to record success in the 2023 elections.

He stated that based on his interaction with the aspirants, all of them are competent and qualified to serve the State as Governor, pointing out however that only one person would be nominated to fly the party’s flag in the election.

According to the Governor, stakeholders and the party would work towards a consensus candidate but where it fails, free and fair primaries would be conducted to nominate a candidate for the guber election.

He stated that he and the State Working Committee of the PDP would remain neutral in the process leading to nomination of a guber candidate.

The aspirants include Engineer Benson Abounu , Hon Titus Uba, Hon Terwase Orbunde, Hon Terkaa Ucha, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, Dr Paul Ubwa, Engineer Ben Akaaka, Engineer Tertsea Gbishe, Engineer Dondu Ahire and Mr Terver Akase.

Others are Mr Julius Atorugh, Hon Dominic Akaahan, Hon Adikpo Agbatse, Isaiah Ipevnor, Dr Paul Angya, Engineer Terver Atsar, Pharmacist Peter Chieshe, Hon Patrick Ogbu, Hon Christopher Afaor, Mr Boniface Jibo and Barrister Chille Igbawua while Dr Robert Orya and Dominic Akaahan were absent but sent apologies.

The aspirants later held a closed door meeting where they chose Barrister Chile Igbawua as Chairman of the PDP Governorship Aspirants Forum, Patrick Ogbu as Secretary while Mr Julius Atorugh is treasurer.

By Jimin Geoffrey