Benue South 2027: Moro, Onjeh, Olofu, Ottah, 10 others battle for Zone C Senate seat

The race for the Benue South Senatorial District seat has opened up into a crowded contest, with 14 candidates listed across different political parties for the 2027 election, IDOMA VOICE reports.

The contest is particularly significant because the seat is currently occupied by Senator Abba Moro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is seeking another term.

The final list throws up a mixture of familiar political names, former office holders, new contenders and candidates flying the flags of both established and lesser-known political parties. 

Among the prominent names are the incumbent, Moro; former APC senatorial contender Daniel Onjeh, now of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC); David Adejo Olofu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); and Frances Ottah of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Here is a look at the 14 candidates in the race:

1. Ejeh Joseph Ekwote — Accord

Ejeh Joseph Ekwote is contesting the Benue South senatorial seat on the platform of the Accord Party. At 59, he is one of the older contenders in the race and brings several levels of educational qualifications to the contest, including a First School Leaving Certificate, SSCE, a master’s degree and a PhD. Ekwote is among the candidates seeking to break the dominance of the major political parties in the district.

2. Oga Moses — ADP

At 49, Oga Moses is the candidate of the Advanced Democratic Party (ADP). His listed qualifications include the First School Leaving Certificate and WAEC. His candidacy adds another political platform to an already crowded race, with the ADP seeking to establish a foothold in a senatorial district where the major parties have traditionally dominated electoral contests.

3. Ademu Alechenu Salefu — APP

Ademu Alechenu Salefu, 39, is flying the flag of the Action Peoples Party (APP). 

He is listed as holding a degree and enters the contest as one of the younger candidates seeking to represent Benue South in the Senate. His candidacy represents the growing participation of younger politicians and candidates outside the traditional major-party structure.

4. David Adejo Olofu — ADC

David Adejo Olofu, 57, is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate. His listed qualifications include the First School Leaving Certificate, WAEC and a Bachelor of Agriculture in Agricultural Economics. Olofu has already begun positioning himself for the contest, with his campaign platform describing his bid as a new direction for Benue South. His emergence gives the ADC one of its key candidates in the Zone C contest.

5. Francis Ottah Agbo — APC

Frances Ottah, 52, is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). A former lawmaker, Ottah emerged as the APC’s candidate after the party’s Benue South senatorial primary, in which he defeated several other aspirants. His emergence gives the ruling party’s ticket a candidate with previous legislative experience as he takes on the incumbent and other challengers.

6. Oleho Augustine — APGA

Oleho Augustine, 56, is contesting under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). His listed qualification is WAEC. His candidacy adds APGA to the list of parties seeking to challenge the established political forces in Benue South. With 14 candidates on the ballot, every additional party potentially represents another channel through which voters can express their preferences.

7. Ajike Goodness Obinna — APM

At just 35, Ajike Goodness Obinna is among the youngest candidates in the race. 

He is the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and is listed as holding a First School Leaving Certificate, SSCE and OND. His candidacy adds a youthful dimension to the contest and places another relatively young contender on the ballot for the Zone C electorate.

8. Onu Samuel Odoh — LP

Onu Samuel Odoh, 51, is the candidate of the Labour Party (LP). His listed qualification is the West African Senior School Certificate (WASSC). The LP candidate previously served as the chairman of Ogbadibo LGA.

9. Odeh Uleko Hannah — NDP

Odeh Uleko Hannah, 37, is the only woman among the 14 candidates listed for the Benue South Senate race in the material provided. She is contesting on the platform of the National Democratic Party (NDP). Her listed qualifications include the First School Leaving Certificate and a Bachelor of Science degree. Her participation also brings gender representation into a contest otherwise dominated by male candidates. A national compilation of female 2027 Senate candidates also lists Odeh Uleko Hannah among Benue’s female senatorial contenders.

10. Eje Peter Ngbede — NRM

Eje Peter Ngbede, 35, is the candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM). His listed qualifications are the First School Leaving Certificate and WAEC. As one of the youngest contenders, Ngbede represents another generation of politicians entering the race for the Senate seat, adding to the diversity of candidates competing beyond the four dominant party tickets.

11. Daniel Donal Onjeh — NDC

Daniel Donal Onjeh, 52, is one of the most recognisable names in the contest. He is contesting under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and is listed as holding a Bachelor of Arts degree. Onjeh has previously contested for the Benue South Senate seat and was the APC candidate in the 2023 election. 

His switch to the NDC puts him back into a familiar political battle against Senator Abba Moro, but this time under a different platform. Historical records also show Onjeh previously contested the seat for the APC.

12. Abba Patrick Moro — PDP

Senator Abba Patrick Moro, 68, is the incumbent senator and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is seeking to retain the seat he currently occupies for the third time. Moro’s experience in the National Assembly and his position as the sitting senator make his candidacy one of the central features of the 2027 contest. 

His re-election bid means the other 13 candidates are effectively seeking to unseat the incumbent and take control of the district’s Senate representation.

13. Itodo Idoko — SDP

Itodo Idoko, 41, is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He is listed as holding a First School Leaving Certificate, WAEC and a Bachelor of Science degree. The SDP has been organising its structures ahead of the 2027 elections in Benue, producing candidates for National and State Assembly positions through its primary process.

14. Onah Confidence — AFRICO

Onah Confidence completes the list of 14 candidates in the material provided, contesting under AFRICO. The candidate’s entry means the Benue South race extends beyond the better-known APC, PDP, ADC, NDC, LP and SDP platforms. With the electorate presented with a broad range of political choices, the challenge for smaller-party candidates will be converting their presence on the ballot into meaningful voter support.

One Seat, Fourteen Contenders

The 2027 Benue South senatorial election is therefore shaping up as a contest that goes beyond a simple two-party battle. While Moro, Onjeh, Olofu and Ottah are among the most prominent names, the presence of 10 other candidates means the race could produce a complex electoral equation.

The final list has formally placed the contenders in the spotlight and is expected to intensify political mobilisation across the nine local government areas that make up Benue South. The district covers Ado, Agatu, Apa, Obi, Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Oju, Okpokwu and Otukpo, commonly referred to as Zone C.

For Moro, the task is to defend an occupied seat. For Onjeh and other established contenders, it is an opportunity to reclaim or capture the representation of Zone C, while for the less-established candidates, the election offers a chance to break into a political contest traditionally dominated by the major parties.

With 14 names on the list but only one Senate seat, the question now confronting Benue South voters is not simply who will contest the election, but who can build the coalition, support and political momentum required to emerge on top when the votes are counted.