Alia’s Visit to Ushongo Reflects Worry Over Aondoakaa’s Popularity, Says Akase

What Dr. Akase Is Alleging

According to Dr. Akase, Alia’s visit to Ushongo is nothing more than a reaction to the strength of Aondoakaa’s support in the area. That is his characterisation, and it has not been independently verified.

The location adds political weight to the claim. Ushongo is the home local government area of the PDP candidate, so any visit there by the incumbent governor, who belongs to the All Progressives Congress (APC), is likely to be read through a political lens as the 2027 election approaches.

Campaign Organization Raises Concerns Over Billboards

In a statement dated October 20, 2026, and signed by Deputy Director-General Hon. Abraham Waroh, the campaign organization said it had received reports that the Chairman of Ushongo Local Government Area and some traditional rulers directed the immediate removal of billboards, posters and flags belonging to Aondoakaa.

The organization described the alleged directive as an abuse of authority and an attempt to intimidate political opponents. It said Ushongo is not a political fiefdom and that no governor, council chairman or traditional ruler has the power to turn any part of the state into a no-go area for opposition parties.

It also argued that a governor’s visit does not amount to a declaration of political emergency, and it warned that any attempt to remove, destroy or tamper with its campaign materials would be treated as deliberate political intimidation. The statement added that the PDP would defend its democratic rights through lawful means.

These are the campaign’s claims, based on reports it says it received. The statement does not say who made the alleged directive or when, and Daily Talk has not independently confirmed that any materials have been removed.

Calls for Restraint From Both Sides

The campaign called on the governor to rein in his supporters and to make clear that Benue belongs to all its people, irrespective of political affiliation. It also urged traditional rulers to remain above partisan politics, describing them as custodians of community heritage and unity.

To its own supporters in Ushongo and other parts of the state, the organization issued a different message: stay calm, vigilant and law-abiding, do not take the law into your own hands, and document and report any attempt to remove campaign materials to the appropriate authorities.

Background: Aondoakaa and the 2027 Governorship Race

Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, emerged as the PDP’s consensus governorship candidate after a consultative process, according to Vanguard. Gazette reported that all co-aspirants stepped down and endorsed him, with former governor Samuel Ortom and Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro among the party figures who drove the process.

His record in federal office is a recurring theme in the campaign. An opinion analysis of Aondoakaa’s role in the 2008 prison decongestion programme on Daily Talk presents it as a lesson in leadership, though its claims draw on his own recollections and have not been independently verified.

The two camps have traded accusations in recent weeks. The Benue PDP alleged in a statement reported by The Mirror that the governor’s supporters had intensified efforts to damage the candidate’s reputation because they view him as a formidable challenger. Daily Talk has also reported on the Benue PDP’s demand that the governor account for FAAC allocations.

The Governor’s Camp and the Wider Political Contest

The governor’s side has pushed its own message. On Sunday, October 18, an aide to the governor warned FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that Benue is not Rivers State and said the governorship would not be settled through private political negotiations. The aide also highlighted the administration’s reported achievements in roads, workers’ welfare and security, while acknowledging that insecurity and economic hardship remain significant challenges.

Wike, for his part, says the coalition linked to him is not an APC structure, and the same Arise News report says he is backing Aondoakaa in Benue, according to Arise News. The claim has not been confirmed by the candidate’s camp in the material reviewed for this report.

Beyond the rivalry, the election will be fought on the state’s everyday realities. Insecurity has hit Benue communities hard, as in the case of the closure of a Catholic girls’ school, mission hospital and parish after a fourth fire. Voters are likely to weigh how each candidate would respond to those pressures.

What to Watch Next

Several questions remain open. It is not yet clear whether any campaign materials have been taken down, whether the local government chairman or traditional rulers will respond to the allegations, or how the governor’s office will answer Dr. Akase’s claim about Alia’s visit to Ushongo.

Observers will also watch whether both camps keep to the calls for calm. The PDP campaign has urged supporters to rely on the law, while asking the governor to ensure that his supporters do the same. For now, the dispute adds to a contest that has already drawn in federal figures and party leaders well before the formal campaign season.

Related Reading on Daily Talk

• Benue Is Not Rivers, I’m Not Fubara: Alia Fires Warning at Wike Over 2027 Power Moves
• Aondoakaa and the Prison Decongestion Briefs: What Benue Can Learn About Leadership
• PDP Demands Answers From Alia, Wike on Benue FAAC Allocation
• More coverage in our Politics section