The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed reports alleging that its leader and former governor, Samuel Ortom, convened an emergency meeting of party stakeholders in Makurdi over the governorship candidacy of Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, describing the publication as false, mischievous and misleading.
The party also accused supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia of allegedly sponsoring propaganda to create disaffection within its ranks, insisting that Aondoakaa, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, remains its candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, said the report, published by Benue News, an online platform he associated with Alia’s supporters, was fabricated to mislead the public and portray the opposition party as being embroiled in an internal crisis.
Antyo said no such meeting took place, adding that Ortom was not even in Makurdi at the time of the alleged gathering.
He described as baseless the claim that party stakeholders had disagreed over Aondoakaa’s candidacy because of pending court cases, stressing that the PDP had neither contemplated nor discussed replacing its governorship candidate.
“The PDP has neither contemplated nor discussed replacing Chief Aondoakaa as its governorship candidate. He remains the party’s candidate, and there is no basis whatsoever for the insinuation that the party is reconsidering his candidacy because of pending litigation,” the statement said.
The party also denied allegations that it was planning to pressure or intimidate the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Demain Adagba, into withdrawing his legal challenge against Aondoakaa.
According to Antyo, the suggestion that the PDP intended to compel Adagba to abandon his case by any means necessary was a deliberate attempt to manufacture controversy and damage the party’s reputation.
He maintained that the PDP remained committed to the rule of law and respected the independence of the judiciary, adding that the party would not resort to intimidation, coercion or any underhanded tactics to influence the outcome of a judicial process.
“The PDP is a law-abiding political party that respects the independence of the judiciary and the right of every litigant to pursue lawful remedies. We have confidence in the judicial process,” he said.
Antyo expressed concern over what he described as the growing use of fabricated reports and fictitious statements in political communication, warning that presenting imaginary disagreements as established facts could undermine public confidence and democratic discourse.
He urged those behind the publication and their collaborators to stop circulating what he called fake news for political propaganda, adding that political differences should not be used as justification for misleading the public or maligning individuals.
The PDP spokesman also appealed to members of the public, particularly party supporters, to disregard the report and refrain from sharing unverified information capable of creating confusion within the party.
Reaffirming the party’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections, Antyo said the PDP remained focused, united and committed to its political objectives despite what he described as attempts to distract it through sponsored misinformation.
He insisted that the legal challenges surrounding the governorship candidate would not alter the party’s position, expressing confidence in Aondoakaa’s candidacy ahead of the election.
The statement ended with a warning to those allegedly spreading the report, urging them to prepare for defeat at the polls in February 2027.
“Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, is coming!” Antyo declared.
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