The campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, has dismissed as false and misleading a report suggesting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may drop him from the 2027 governorship race.
The campaign was reacting to a report titled, “INEC may drop Aondoakaa from Benue guber race as former AGF begs court for more time to file defence,” published on September 30, 2026.
In a statement signed by Aondoakaa’s Media Assistant, James Ian, on October 1, the campaign described the report as a “desperate propaganda gambit,” arguing that it misrepresented proceedings in a suit challenging Aondoakaa’s eligibility to contest the election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2152/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by four Benue indigenes who are seeking orders restraining Aondoakaa from contesting the 2027 governorship election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP and Aondoakaa are named as respondents.
The plaintiffs have relied on a previous Supreme Court judgment involving Aondoakaa and are asking the court to direct INEC and the PDP not to allow him to contest or be sponsored in the election.
However, Aondoakaa’s campaign rejected the description of the PDP candidate’s request for additional time as a plea arising from an inability to defend himself.
According to the statement, the case was not ripe for substantive hearing because all parties had not been duly served.
“The matter was not ripe for substantive hearing as all parties had not been duly served,” the statement said, adding that portraying the development as Aondoakaa “begging” for time to defend himself was a distortion of the court proceedings.
The campaign also disputed the suggestion that INEC had taken steps to withdraw Aondoakaa’s candidature, insisting that no court had made an order directing the electoral commission to do so.
It described the report’s headline as speculative and said it was intended to create the impression that the PDP candidate’s candidacy was under imminent threat.
The campaign further argued that the plaintiffs were not members of the PDP and were not governorship candidates in the state, describing the legal action as part of what it alleged was a broader political effort against Aondoakaa.
It maintained that Aondoakaa had not been convicted by any court of fraud, dishonesty or any offence that, according to the campaign, would disqualify him from seeking elective office.
The statement also referred to Aondoakaa’s previous service as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, describing him as an experienced legal practitioner and public servant.
The campaign accused unnamed political opponents of attempting to use litigation and media reports to undermine the PDP candidate’s campaign.
“The sponsors of this campaign of falsehood are evidently terrified by the momentum of the Aondoakaa/Ogbenjuwa ticket and have resorted to manufacturing legal and media distractions,” the statement alleged.
It urged those involved in the litigation to allow the court to determine the matter based on law and evidence rather than media reports.
“Courtrooms are governed by law and evidence, not by sensational headlines, sponsored narratives or the fantasies of political jobbers,” it stated.
The campaign also argued that the filing of a lawsuit against a candidate does not, by itself, automatically invalidate a nomination or disqualify a candidate from an election, stressing that such allegations must be determined by a competent court.
It cited legal challenges previously faced by incumbent Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia before and after the 2023 election as an example of how electoral disputes are resolved through the judicial process.
The campaign maintained that the pending suit should therefore not be interpreted as an automatic loss of Aondoakaa’s candidature.
The latest statement comes amid an ongoing legal challenge to Aondoakaa’s eligibility. In September, the Federal High Court granted an application for substituted service after the plaintiffs told the court they had been unable to serve the former AGF personally. The court subsequently ordered hearing notices to be served on the defendants.
A report published on September 30 subsequently stated that Aondoakaa had been granted additional time to file his defence, with the matter adjourned to October 13. The same report claimed that INEC had filed a written address supporting the plaintiffs’ position on whether it was constitutionally bound by the earlier Supreme Court judgment. Those claims are matters in the pending proceedings and remain subject to the court’s determination.
Aondoakaa’s campaign, however, said the legal proceedings would not distract the PDP candidate from his political activities ahead of the 2027 election.
It said Aondoakaa remained focused on what it described as his agenda for security, economic revival, responsible governance and restoration of public confidence in leadership.
The campaign concluded by urging those behind the legal challenge and related media reports to prepare for the political contest rather than seek what it described as “judicial shortcuts.”
