The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, yesterday received royal blessings, traditional prayers and overwhelming expressions of solidarity from the Ushongo Traditional Council and elders representing the various clans that make up Ushongo Local Government Area.

The event was held in Lessel, the Ushongo local government headquarters.

Aondoakaa hails from Ushongo, Kwande intermediate area of Benue State.

At the Ushongo Traditional Council Hall, the Ter Ushongo, His Royal Highness, Augustine Kuma, described Chief Aondoakaa as a worthy son of the soil who deserves the blessings.

He also expressed confidence in Aondoakaa’s commitment to the development of Ushongo and his capacity to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Benue State. Chief Kuma noted that no father will refuse to bless his son on such worthy cause.

Also speaking, the Mue Ter Mbagwa and Mata, Dr. Gema Alu, and His Royal Highness, Daniel Ayada (Rtd), respectively, spoke on behalf of their people, offering royal blessings and assuring Aondoakaa of their continued prayers .

In a deeply emotional traditional blessing ceremony involving his kinsmen (Ityo), Elder Atsue Ibi offered solemn prayers for Aondoakaa, cautioning against anyone who, out of malice or evil intentions, might seek to obstruct the aspirations of the people of Ushongo through his political journey.

The elders subsequently invoked the blessings of the entire Ukan nation, committing Aondoakaa to divine protection, strength and victory.

They stressed that when a son carries the hopes of his people, their prayers become his armour, while their blessings provide the strength beneath his wings.

At the reception ground, the convener of the event, Engr. Peter Ashiekaa, warmly welcomed guests and the people of Ushongo, urging them to take pride in what rightfully belonged to them.

He emphasised that nothing should be considered more valuable than what a people could proudly call their own and called on them to rally behind their son and defend the opportunity before them.

The Chairman of the occasion and Director-General of the Aondoakaa/Ogbenjuwa Campaign Organization, Dr. Augustine Laha Dzever, expressed satisfaction with the massive turnout and the overwhelming acceptance demonstrated by the people.

He described the gathering as proof of Aondoakaa’s strong grassroots connection and urged the people to translate the enthusiasm witnessed at the event into votes during the elections.

He further stressed that the emergence of a Kwande son on the PDP governorship ticket was not merely a political party decision but a product of the Tiv nation’s commitment to truth, fairness and political equity.

Dr. Dzever called on the people to protect and consolidate this historic opportunity.

The Guest Speaker and PDP Deputy State Chairman, Hon. Azua Ashongo, delivered a detailed presentation on why Kwande deserved the governorship ticket in 2027.

He highlighted the principles of fairness, political balance and inclusiveness underpinning the decision and urged the people of Kwande, particularly Ushongo, not to allow political opportunists and self-serving interests to deprive them of the historic opportunity presented by the PDP.

In a show of cross-party solidarity, the Leader of the Accord Party in Ushongo and former Majority Leader of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Saater Tiseer, alongside the Ushongo Local Government Chairman of the APC, Hon. Ushahemba Tyavkase, openly endorsed Chief Aondoakaa as their preferred governorship candidate.

Also speaking, the former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and PDP candidate for Gboko West State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, declared that the government of the day had failed woefully in its responsibility to the people and had demonstrated a troubling lack of accountability.

Dajoh urged the people to rally behind Aondoakaa, describing his emergence as a crucial opportunity to rescue Benue State and restore purposeful leadership.

Responding to the overwhelming reception and blessings he received at the various locations, Chief Aondoakaa expressed profound gratitude and joy over the love, confidence and solidarity demonstrated by his people.

He assured them that he would never betray the trust reposed in him, promising to remain committed to their welfare and the collective progress of Benue State.

The former Attorney General and Minister of Justice stated that Benue needed a unifier: a leader with the courage, determination and political will to confront insecurity, restore public confidence and steer the state towards peace and prosperity.

He also used the occasion to brief the royal fathers, traditional elders and his kinsmen on the journey so far, expressing appreciation for their encouragement, prayers and goodwill.

He described the outpouring of love as deeply humbling and reaffirmed his determination to justify the confidence his people had placed in him.

He said, “For every great journey, there is a people whose prayers light the way. And for every worthy son, there is no greater honour than the blessings of his roots.” Aondoakaa added.

In her vote of thanks, Chief Lady Veronica Gajir, LSM, appreciated the traditional rulers, elders, political leaders, guests and the people of Ushongo for their impressive turnout and overwhelming show of solidarity.

She urged them to sustain the spirit of unity and translate their support into action by coming out in their numbers to vote Chief Aondoakaa into office as Governor of Benue State in 2027.

Among those who attended the event was Hon. Aondowase Kunde, a former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management who recently resigned from Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration.

Former Speaker Benue State House of Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Gboko West Constituency, Rt. Hon. Aondona Dajoh, has alleged that governor Hyacinth Alia is determined to destroy Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume by all means.

Dajoh said Governor Alia will not take leadership away from Jemgbagh intermediate Area of Benue state where Akume hails from by force.

The former Speaker stated that, “God Himself has bestowed leadership on the Jemgbagh Intermediate Area and no one can take it away by force”

Dajoh made the allegation in Lessel, Ushongo Local Government Area, during a reception held in honor of the PDP governorship candidate in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN.

Dajoh explained that when J.S. Tarka was senator, late Adzuana Dabo from Vandeikya fought him relentlessly, stating that even after the passing of Tarka in 1983, leaders at that time could not succeed him until George Akume emerged in 1999.

“Some of these great men are still alive. Isaac Shaahu is alive. Jacob Gyado is alive, he replaced J.S. Tarka at the National Assembly, but never took over the leadership structures of Tarka. Our late fathers, Paul Unongo and Ugba Uye were there, great people, but they did not take over,” he stated, adding that history is important for decision-making.

The former Speaker stated that Alia, from the same Vandeikya as the late Adzuana Dabo, “ is determined to destroy Sen. George Akume by all means, saying that the Governor will not take leadership away from Jemgbagh by force”

In a statement issued by Dajoh’s Media Aide, Agber Kulugh, the former speaker praised the people of Ushongo for their bravery, recalling that, “Fulani jihadists were defeated at the Ushongo Hills”

Commending the giant strides of late Aper Aku, he added that even, “a governor who chooses to renovate all the projects executed by the late Governor Aper Aku could still be regarded as the best” expressing confidence that Aondoakaa would follow the footsteps of Aper Aku.

Dajoh told the people of Ushongo that Jemgbagh had resolved to support Aondoakaa’s governorship ambition in 2027, urging the people to come out massively for their own.

“Jemgbagh gave Alia 105,000 votes in 2023, we will give Aondoakaa 200,000 votes this time,” he declared.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described today’s judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, purporting to sack the Senator David Mark-led leadership and invalidate the candidacy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as another desperate attempt to cripple the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to choose their leaders in the forthcoming general elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the timing of the judgment, barely 24 hours after the massive turnout at the ADC presidential campaign rally in Sokoto, exposes what it considers the growing desperation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We have reasons to believe that the judgment had long been written on this case. The Sokoto rally was simply a trigger that stampeded its delivery. Yesterday, Nigerians came out in their hundreds of thousands to demonstrate their support for the ADC and our promise of making life affordable for them. Today, they are being told that the party that they support and the candidates that they have supported at all levels could be erased by the stroke of a reckless judicial pen.”

The ADC questioned whether those behind the flawed judgment had considered its far-reaching implications for the country, warning that the attempt to invalidate the party’s leadership could affect thousands of candidates contesting elections at the local, state and federal levels.

“Do these people understand what they are playing with? This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders. It is about the rights of thousands of candidates to participate in a democratic process.”

The ADC maintained that the judgment is legally indefensible and would be challenged through every available judicial process.

“Our objection is particularly anchored on the subsisting judgment of Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, delivered on 2 July 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led NWC and directed INEC to recognise the leadership. It is a settled principle of Nigerian jurisprudence that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary or nullify the subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction.

“The ADC, therefore, rejects any consequential orders founded on a determination that appears to disregard these fundamental legal principles. However, we await the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the said judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope and operative orders.

“We have seen this script before. When they are scared that the opposition is gathering steam, they use their judges in the courts to influence legally indefensible judgments. But the millions of Nigerians that are hungry and waiting for them at the ballot box see right through them and will not sit down in silence while our democracy is taken away by the courts.”

The ADC, therefore, warned the APC against pursuing what it described as a dangerous attempt to eliminate political competition through judicial controversies.

“We warn the APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party. Nobody should be so desperate to retain power that they are prepared to put the entire country at risk. This is not the time to play silly games with the stability of this country.

“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, not to the APC. The presidency is not an inheritance. If the President thinks he has performed well in office, why is he afraid of competition? If the APC thinks that its policies and candidates are popular, why don’t they subject themselves to free and fair elections?”

The ADC calls on the judiciary not to allow itself to be used in foisting a dictatorship on Nigeria.

“This is not just about the ADC or Atiku Abubakar; it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good.”

The party urged its members across the country to remain calm and law abiding while the party pursuers all legal means to address the situation.