Benue 2027: ADC moves to present Peter Adejoh as consensus governorship candidate

As agitation for an Idoma governor in Benue State intensifies ahead of the 2027 elections, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has moved decisively to present Dr. Peter Adejoh as its consensus candidate in Benue South (Zone C), a strategic bid to block Father Alia from consolidating the majority vote in the region.

Party sources told IDOMA VOICE that key stakeholders from different local government areas are uniting behind Adejoh to prevent internal divisions and strengthen ADC’s appeal in the politically crucial southern senatorial district.

The campaign has been boosted by high-profile endorsements. Senator David Mark’s wife publicly backed Adejoh, signaling alignment with the influential Mark political network, while David Olofu, a senatorial aspirant, also pledged support.

According to insiders, these endorsements are critical for mobilizing votes in Zone C and countering Alia’s influence.

Adejoh, a renowned business mogul, is positioning himself as a unifying figure capable of bridging divides across Benue.

The move is particularly historic: no leading party has ever fielded an Idoma candidate for governor, making ADC’s strategy in Zone C a potential game-changer.

The aspirant recently unveiled a 12‑point agenda emphasizing agriculture, youth empowerment, security, education, healthcare, local government autonomy, economic diversification, infrastructure, transparency, social welfare, environmental resilience, and ethnic unity, all crafted to appeal across communities in Zone C and beyond.

“This is about presenting a credible alternative in Zone C and delivering on the rising demand for an Idoma governor while ensuring ADC unites the people of Benue,” a senior party official said on condition of anonymity.

It was further gathered that aside from Dr. Peter Adejoh, another Idoma aspirant, Andrew Aba, also from Ogbadibo Local Government Area, is eyeing the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship ticket.

However, there are strong indications that Aba may be persuaded to step down in favour of Adejoh, who is widely regarded within party circles as more popular and broadly accepted across Benue State.

A party insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, hinted at ongoing consultations to ensure a unified front ahead of the primaries.

“There are ongoing discussions within the party to avoid splitting votes. Aba is a strong contender, no doubt, but the general thinking is that Adejoh has wider acceptance across Zone C and even beyond. For the sake of unity and strategy, he may be asked to step down,” the source said.

The move, if actualised, is expected to further strengthen ADC’s push to consolidate support in the Idoma axis ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

With the 2027 elections approaching, political watchers will be keenly observing whether ADC’s strategy to consolidate Zone C behind Adejoh can translate the agitation for an Idoma governor into tangible votes, and effectively block Alia from dominating the region.