PDP Leadership Crisis Deepens with Rival Candidates' Certificates

On Wednesday, two rival factions of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State presented Certificates of Return to their governorship candidates, marking a significant development in the party's ongoing leadership crisis. Michael Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, received his certificate at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, representing the faction loyal to Minister Nyesom Wike.

Aondoakaa was accompanied by his running mate, Oyij Ochaek Ogbenjuwa, and expressed gratitude to the party's leadership, pledging to justify the mandate in the upcoming 2027 governorship election. In a parallel development, a rival faction led by former Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Tanimu Turaki presented a certificate to Emmanuel Agbo, the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, who was declared the winner of the governorship primary backed by Wike's faction.

The ceremony took place at the same venue, highlighting the divisions within the party. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to publish the final list of candidates for the 2027 Benue State governorship election.