Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter in Benue State is experiencing a crisis as a result of Daniel Onyirofie Onjeh, one of the senatorial candidates, rejecting the party’s purported endorsement of former lawmaker Francis Ottah Agbo as its preferred candidate for Benue South.
According to reports, the APC is holding its national senatorial primaries today, with Benue South being one of the crucial districts anticipated to select candidates for the 2027 elections.
On Saturday night, however, rumors surfaced that Prince Moses Ternenge, a political ally of Governor Hyacinth Alia, had supposedly supported Ottah Agbo as the chosen candidate for the Benue South senatorial seat.
After losing the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, former House of Representatives member Ottah Agbo moved to the APC.
Later, Philip Agbese emerged under the APC after his defection, eventually joining the Labour Party.
In response to the development, Onjeh criticized Prince Moses Ternenge, a politician from Benue North East Senatorial District (Zone A), for allegedly meddling in the political affairs of Benue South Senatorial District (Zone C) in a video that was uploaded to his Facebook page.
He claims that there are enough competent people in Benue South to decide the region’s political course independently.
“A senatorial candidate cannot be imposed on Benue South, Zone C, with its array of academic doctors and professors by Prince Moses Ternenge, a Tiv man from Benue North East, Zone A,” Onjeh stated.
The APC leader also made fun of an unidentified candidate who was being portrayed as a party “anointed candidate.”
He charged that the candidate had defected from the PDP to the APC without providing any grassroots support or political organization.
Some candidates’ claims that someone is the chosen one are even more absurd. He said, “The person hopes to reap where he did not sow and came to APC without a single supporter from his former party, PDP.”
Onjeh went on to say that the race for the Benue South senatorial ticket shouldn’t jeopardize the political networks and support that have been established over the years.
He continued, “You cannot come and run the senatorial race on the support that others have amassed over the years.”
