2027: Aondoakaa denies pact with Akume, Atiku
August 11, 2026 12:59 am
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State, Michael Aondoakaa. Photo: PDP
By John Charles
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), has stated that he has never had any arrangement with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2028 elections.
Aondoakaa, in a statement issued by his media aide, James Ian and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Monday, reacted to the statement credited to a group known as International Centre for Transparency Nigeria.
The PDP governorship candidate noted that there was no agreement or political arrangement involving him, Akume, Atiku and the immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, ahead of 2027.
The group, International Centre for Transparency Nigeria, had at a press conference alleged that the PDP candidate in Benue State had agreed with Ortom, Akume and Atiku ahead of the 2027 election.
Reacting, Aondoakaa, in the statement, said, “The attempt to portray Chief Aondoakaa as a political bridge between Chief Ortom, Senator Akume and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is not only false but devoid of any factual foundation.
“Those making the allegation have failed to provide a single piece of evidence showing where such an arrangement was discussed, when it was reached or what role Chief Aondoakaa supposedly played in it.
“Chief Aondoakaa is the duly nominated governorship candidate of the PDP in Benue State.
“His focus remains on building a broad coalition of Benue people across political, ethnic and religious divides and presenting to the electorate a credible alternative anchored on security, economic recovery, agricultural development, job creation and responsible governance.
“It is therefore mischievous for anyone to deliberately misrepresent legitimate political consultations and engagements as evidence of a clandestine presidential arrangement that exists only in the imagination of its authors.
“The allegation becomes even more implausible when considered against the established political position of Chief Samuel Ortom.”
Anodoakaa noted that Ortom, who was among the G5 who rejected the presidential candidature of Atiku in 2023 on the principle that the presidency should rotate to the South for equity and justice, still maintains his position to date.
The governorship candidate also stated that an attempt to drag Akume rendered the report a fiction.
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