Benue 2027: Court asked to stop Ortom’s anointed candidate from contesting

Four individuals from Benue State have petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to prevent former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, from running in the 2027 governorship election in the state. Aondoakaa is running for the position under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with support from the state's former governor, Samuel Ortom, and other prominent PDP figures at the national level.

Their lawyer, Fredricks Itula, SAN, filed the suit, which requested a ruling from Justice Joyce Abdulmalik. The plaintiffs, David Ejembi, Aondoaver Teryila, Joseph Okpanachi, and Benedict Orkume, argued that a previous Supreme Court judgment barred Aondoakaa from holding any office besides the AGF. The plaintiffs, registered voters in Benue, sought the court to declare that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must follow the Supreme Court's judgment and stop the PDP from endorsing Aondoakaa for the 2027 election.

They claimed that Sections 235 and 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, along with the definition of "public office of a state" in Section 318(1), support their claim. The plaintiffs requested the court to issue declarations and perpetual injunctions restraining INEC and the PDP from allowing Aondoakaa to contest the election. When the case was presented on Monday, Itula informed the judge about his inability to serve Aondoakaa, the third defendant.

Consequently, the lawyer filed an ex parte motion for substituted service. The judge granted the motion, stating that a copy of the service would be filed as evidence. The judge also ordered that hearing notices be sent to all defendants, and the case was adjourned until September 29 for further mention.