Benue guber: How David Mark is leading opposition forces to remove Gov Alia from seat in 2027

When Governor Hyacinth Alia’s camp says it is “not losing sleep over ADC,” it is projecting confidence, but beneath that assurance, Benue’s political terrain is beginning to shift.

Opposition forces are quietly, but deliberately, closing ranks ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Benue State, DOMA VOICE  reports.

At the centre of this realignment is David Mark, former Senate President and current National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Mark joined the ADC in 2025 as interim chairman following a prolonged crisis within the PDP nationwide.

His move to the party was described by insiders as a political tsunami, bringing thousands of supporters along, including former governors, lawmakers and political heavyweights across the country.

In Benue, the effect was immediate. The ADC has effectively emptied the PDP across the state, with even the immediate past state chairman switching allegiance to the new party.

The ADC has since emerged as the leading opposition party in Benue.

Sources told IDOMA VOICE that the party is already planning to field a strong candidate to give Governor Alia a serious contest in 2027.

“We are working quietly but strategically to present a candidate who can galvanise the people and challenge the governor effectively,” said one ADC insider who requested anonymity.

Already, Alia’s relationship with political godfather, George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, has gon sour with a section of the APC said to be opposed to him.

ADC insiders are reportedly capitalising on this internal feud to strengthen their position, particularly in Benue South, a zone that feels marginalised under Alia’s administration.

Other zones are also expressing dissatisfaction over perceived lopsided appointments and nepotism, with claims, denied by the government, that key positions and lucrative appointments have been disproportionately given to citizens from Vandekieya LGA.

“Many of our people feel left out in key appointments, and this has created unrest across other local governments,” said, Benjamin Joe, an community leader in Makurdi.

The ADC is said to be working toward forming alliances with other parties in the state to produce a consensus candidate. “Our goal is to unite all progressive forces in Benue to ensure a credible alternative in 2027,” said another party source.

Political Observers said that if Alia fails to reconcile with Akume before the general elections, other APC factions may actively work against him in 2027.

Members of the “Yes Father” camp, however, remain unconcerned over the ADC ‘noise’.

“We are not losing sleep over those we consider expired politicians. Those who oppose the governor have passed their political prime and cannot intimidate anyone.

“David Mark may have been a former Senate President, but he has repeatedly failed to unite his people and deliver results at the party level. The reality is that he could not even secure victories for his party in 2023. So, those who think this is a threat to Governor Alia are seriously mistaken.”

However, many political watchers are wary of underestimating David Mark. A former military brigadier general, who once governed Niger State, he has reportedly never lost a political battle since 1999.

“Mark has consistently demonstrated the ability to win elections and build coalitions; dismissing him would be a grave error,” said a political analyst in Otukpo.

While the ADC has historically remained on the fringes of Benue politics, it is now emerging as a convergence platform rather than a traditional opposition party.

Its strategy is less about party popularity and more about coalition-building, bringing together former officeholders, political structures, and regional blocs under one umbrella.

This explains why Alia’s camp has publicly dismissed the party; in Nigerian politics, such dismissals often signal recognition, not irrelevance.

Governor Alia’s allies insist the administration remains firmly in control, pointing to incumbency advantages and opposition fragmentation.

Yet, insiders acknowledge that the ADC’s methodical, structured approach, anchored by David Mark, poses a serious challenge.

Unlike spontaneous protest politics, the ADC is leveraging organisation, experience, and voter fatigue to its advantage.

What is unfolding in Benue is not yet an open confrontation but strategic positioning.

Opposition forces are aligning early, learning from past electoral missteps, and avoiding the pitfalls of last-minute coalitions.
Whether this effort will translate into a viable electoral threat remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the 2027 governorship race will not be one-sided.

With David Mark at the helm of the ADC nationally, the opposition is signalling readiness, not just to contest power, but to reclaim relevance.