2017: PDP Reaffirms Absolute Confidence in Chief Aondoakaa, says Campaign of Mischief Has No Legal or Political Foundation

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has restated it absolute confidence in its governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, saying campaign of mischief against him has no legal or political foundation.

The party, in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Bright Antyo, said it has watched with amusement the sustained campaign of misinformation and mischief being orchestrated by political opponents and desperate politician against its governorship candidate.

The party observed that “The latest falsehood being peddled is the baseless claim that our candidate is disqualified from holding office of Governor of Benue State as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This narrative has no constitutional basis and is legally bankrupt.

“It betrays the desperation of those who have become terrified by the overwhelming acceptance Chief Aondoakaa continues to enjoy across Benue State.”

For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP stated that Chief Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, remains eminently qualified to contest the 2027 governorship election and to hold the office of Governor of Benue State, if elected by the people.

The party said that Chief Aondoakaa’s public service record is well known as he served Nigeria at the highest level with distinction as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice adding that throughout his career in public and private lives, no court has convicted him of any crime(s) that should disqualified him from holding the office of Governor of Benue State.

“Since leaving office in 2010, Chief Aondoakaa has never been arraigned on criminal charges before any court of law or Tribunal. Similarly, he has never been indicted by any administrative Panel or Tribunal established by law.

“Indeed, Chief Aondoakaa contested the PDP governorship primary in 2015. He also contested APC Governorship primary in 2022 with Governor Hyacinth Alia and several others. On each occasion, every aspirant and interested party had the opportunity to challenge his disqualification if there had been any legal basis for doing so. None did. No lawsuit was filed. No court was invited to pronounce him disqualified because there was simply no legal basis for such a claim.

“Rather Chief Aondoakaa challenged the result of the 2022 APC Governorship primary that produced Governor Alia as its then candidate in court up to the Court of Appeal. Aondoakaa then declined to file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the 2022 APC Governorship primary outcome due to the intervention of the leadership of APC.

“The PDP therefore finds it curious that individuals who remained silent throughout those electoral cycles have suddenly discovered imaginary legal impediments only after Chief Aondoakaa emerged as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

“Even more ruinous to their propaganda is the clear provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) as enshrined in Section 285 (14)(9) of the Constitution, which leaves no room for speculation as to when to file an action against a person disqualified to contest election into political offices created by the Constitution for electoral contest; defined as pre-election dispute.

“It provides further that every pre-election matter shall be filed not later than fourteen (14) days from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action complained of. That constitutional timeline is mandatory, immutable and jurisdictional. Once the 14 period expires, every court in Nigeria is stripped of jurisdiction to entertain such claims.”

The party further stated that Chief Aondoakaa emerged as the PDP governorship candidate following the party’s primary election conducted on 24 May 2026 saying “The constitutional window for instituting any pre-election action challenging his nomination on ground of disqualification has, if such ever existed, is long closed.”

The party said no amount of media propaganda, social media manipulations or politically motivated commentary can revive a cause of action that has already become statute-barred by the Constitution itself.

It further stated that “Sections 177 and 182 of the Constitution comprehensively set out the qualification and disqualification criteria for election as Governor and the grounds upon which a person may be disqualified to contest for the office. The law is settled that where the Constitution expressly provides the conditions for qualification or disqualification, no individual, political party or pressure group can manufacture additional grounds outside those constitutional provisions.
The Constitution is supreme. Political propaganda cannot alter it.”

The PDP therefore urged members of the public to disregard the avalanche of false narratives being circulated by individuals whose only strategy appears to be character assassination in place of meaningful political engagement.

The party said the 2027 governorship election will not be determined by skewed social media propaganda or wishful legal theories but by the people of Benue State through the ballot.

The advised those who have their candidates to articulate their programmes and allow the electorate to make a democratic choice as resorting to manufactured allegations against a candidate whose nomination is firmly rooted in the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria only exposes the bankruptcy of their political arguments.

The PDP again said it is convinced that their possesses the integrity, competence, experience and constitutional qualification required to provide the purposeful leadership that Benue State urgently needs adding that “No amount of sponsored falsehood, intimidation or propaganda will distract our candidate or our party from engaging the people of Benue State with our vision for revived security, economic recovery, agricultural transformation, industrial development and responsive governance.

“The PDP is ready for the 2027 election and Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, is the party’s governorship candidate in Benue State.”