2027: No deal with Ortom, Akume to back Atiku — Aondoakaa

The 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, has denied reports of an alleged political arrangement involving him, former Governor Samuel Ortom and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Aondoakaa, in a statement issued by his Media Assistant, James Ian, described the report as false, insisting that no such meeting, agreement or political arrangement had taken place.

“There has been no meeting or arrangement involving Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, Chief Samuel Ortom and Senator George Akume to work for the presidential ambition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. No such arrangement exists,” the statement said.

The former Attorney-General of the Federation also dismissed claims portraying him as a political bridge between Ortom, Akume and Atiku, saying those behind the allegation had failed to provide evidence of where or when such an arrangement was reached.

According to the statement, the purported report was credited to a group identified as the International Centre for Transparency Nigeria, ICTN, which Aondoakaa’s camp described as a “faceless group” with no known credible record of activities.

It challenged those behind the claims to provide evidence of the alleged meeting, including where it was held, who convened it, those in attendance and any documentation supporting the purported arrangement.

Aondoakaa’s camp also questioned the attempt to link Ortom to an arrangement to support Atiku, recalling the former Benue governor’s role in the G-5 governors ahead of the 2023 general election.

It noted that Ortom and other members of the group opposed Atiku’s presidential candidature on the grounds that power should rotate to the South after eight years of a northern presidency.

The statement maintained that Ortom’s position on equity, fairness and power rotation remained well known.

It also dismissed the inclusion of Akume in the alleged arrangement, arguing that mentioning prominent political figures did not make the claims credible.

Aondoakaa said his focus remained on his governorship ambition and efforts to build a broad coalition across political, ethnic and religious divides in Benue State.

According to him, his campaign would be anchored on security, economic recovery, agricultural development, job creation and responsible governance.

His camp further alleged that “desperate political elements” uncertain about their prospects in the 2027 elections were behind what it described as fabricated stories and imaginary political alliances.

It claimed that Aondoakaa had increasingly been dragged into controversies since his emergence as the PDP governorship candidate, arguing that the development showed that some political interests considered his candidature a threat ahead of the election.

“We challenge those behind this allegation to produce credible evidence of the purported meeting or arrangement,” the statement added.