MACA TV, Airport, Abuja (2026)

17/09/2026

THE AONDOAKAA DIFFERENCE

By Abraham Mande

In politics, many leaders are eager to speak. Few are willing to listen.

That is one of the qualities that makes Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, stand out in today’s political landscape.

For a man who has served as Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Justice, Minister for Special Duties, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, international legal scholar and successful businessman, one would expect an intimidating personality surrounded by layers of bureaucracy and gatekeepers. Yet, those who encounter Aondoakaa often discover something entirely different.
They discover a listener.

In every society, leadership begins with understanding. And understanding begins with listening. Before solutions are crafted, problems must first be heard. Before policies are formulated, the people must have a voice. This simple but powerful principle has become one of Aondoakaa’s defining strengths.

Whether he is meeting farmers, market women, youths, traditional rulers, professionals, religious leaders or political stakeholders, Aondoakaa possesses a rare ability to listen patiently, ask thoughtful questions and absorb perspectives before offering his own views.

Many politicians arrive at meetings with prepared mindsets and speeches. Aondoakaa arrives with prepared ears.

That quality explains why many Benue people who meet him for the first time often leave with the impression that they have been heard, understood and respected.

Accessibility is another feature that distinguishes him. In an era where public officials often become distant from the people they seek to govern, Aondoakaa remains remarkably approachable. Those who know him speak of a man who is comfortable engaging ordinary citizens as easily as he engages senior government officials, diplomats, business leaders and international partners.

His accessibility is not a political strategy. It is a reflection of his personality.

Despite occupying some of the highest offices in Nigeria and earning one of the most prestigious distinctions in the legal profession, Aondoakaa has retained the humility to relate with people across social, economic and political divides.

Perhaps this explains why wherever he goes across Benue, crowds naturally gather around him. People are drawn not only to his accomplishments but also to his willingness to engage them directly.

Yet, listening and accessibility alone do not make a great leader. Leadership ultimately requires ideas. And this is where Aondoakaa’s greatest strength may lie.

Few governorship aspirants in Benue’s history have combined legal brilliance, national governance experience, international exposure and private sector success in the way Aondoakaa has.

Having participated at the highest levels of government, he understands how public institutions function. Having built successful businesses, he understands how wealth is created. Having invested in agriculture, he understands the realities confronting farmers. Having represented Nigeria internationally, he understands how states attract investment and development opportunities.

These experiences have shaped a clear vision for Benue.

Aondoakaa believes that security must come first because no society can prosper while its people live in fear. He argues that reopening farms is not merely an agricultural policy but an economic necessity. He sees local government autonomy as a tool for grassroots development rather than a political slogan. He advocates private-sector-driven ranching and agricultural industrialization as pathways to wealth creation. He speaks consistently about youth employment, investment attraction, infrastructure development and accountable governance.

His ideas are practical because they are rooted in experience.

Aondoakaa understands that government does not create prosperity by speeches alone. Prosperity comes when farmers can safely cultivate their land, businesses can operate without fear, investors have confidence, roads connect markets and young people find opportunities to build productive lives.

Perhaps the most important thing about Aondoakaa is that he approaches leadership not as an entitlement but as a responsibility.

His supporters often describe him as a man who studies issues deeply, weighs options carefully and seeks lasting solutions rather than temporary applause. That habit has been evident throughout his distinguished legal career, his years in national service and his ventures in business and agriculture.

At a time when many citizens have grown frustrated with leaders who talk more than they listen, promise more than they deliver and campaign more than they govern, Aondoakaa offers a different model of leadership:

A leader who listens. A leader who is accessible. A leader with ideas. A leader who understands both the challenges and the possibilities of Benue State.

As the conversation about Benue’s future continues, these qualities increasingly explain why many people across the state are paying close attention to Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN.

Because beyond the titles, beyond the credentials and beyond the politics, leadership is ultimately about understanding people and finding solutions to their problems.

And for many Benue people, that is where the Aondoakaa difference begins.

Mande is a public affairs analyst

15/09/2026

BENUE WOMEN THROW THEIR WEIGHT BEHIND AONDOAKAA

By James Ian

Women drawn from across the 23 Local Government Areas of Benue State, under the aegis of Unity Women for MKA 2027, today paid a solidarity visit to the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, and declared their total support for his aspiration.

The women, who converged to express their confidence in Aondoakaa’s leadership capacity and vision for Benue State, described his candidacy as an opportunity to build a more united, peaceful and prosperous state.

They said their decision to rally behind Aondoakaa was driven by his experience, pedigree, commitment to the development of Benue and his demonstrated concern for the welfare of women, youths and vulnerable members of society.

The delegation led by their state leader Hon. Mrs. Doo Dzoho stressed that women constitute a critical force in determining the outcome of elections and pledged to take the message of Aondoakaa’s candidacy to communities, Local Government Areas, wards and polling units across the state.

Responding, Chief Aondoakaa appreciated the women for their solidarity and confidence in his candidature.

He assured them that women would remain central to his vision for a better Benue, promising an administration that would promote inclusion, economic empowerment, security, agriculture, job creation and opportunities for women and young people.

Aondoakaa urged the women to remain united and continue to mobilise peacefully for the success of the PDP and all its candidates in the 2027 elections.

He reaffirmed his commitment to building a safer, more prosperous and united Benue, where every citizen, regardless of gender or background, would have the opportunity to thrive.

13/09/2026

PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), BENUE STATE

KULA’S PRESS CONFERENCE; ANOTHER AUDITION FOR RELEVANCE

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State Chapter, has watched with amusement the latest theatrical performance staged by Mr. Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia. What Benue people witnessed was not a government spokesman defending the record of his administration. It was a desperate political actor auditioning for relevance before a governor whose approval he is desperately seeking.

In the Alia administration, promotion appears to depend less on competence and more on how viciously one attacks Chief Samuel Ortom and Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN. Kula merely read from the script handed to him. His outburst had nothing to do with governance and everything to do with survival. Unable to distinguish himself through performance, he has chosen insults as a career strategy.

What is most disappointing is the astonishing level of political hypocrisy on display. This is the same Tersoo Kula who once publicly described Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, as one of the finest minds Benue has produced, a man with a clear vision for development and a leader capable of transforming the state. He praised him without reservation and urged Benue people to trust him with their future. Today, for the sake of political convenience and personal ambition, he pretends those statements never existed. Nothing exposes a man’s lack of conviction more than abandoning yesterday’s principles for today’s appointment.

Kula described the Ortom-Aondoakaa partnership as the worst thing that could happen to Benue. That claim is as ridiculous as it is dishonest. Chief Samuel Ortom presided over one of the most transparent administrations in the history of the state. He left office and voluntarily submitted himself to scrutiny by anti-corruption agencies. He never hid from accountability. He never ran from public examination. The question Benue people should ask is simple: can Governor Alia confidently make the same pledge today?

Rather than address growing public concerns about transparency, accountability and the management of the state’s enormous resources, Kula spent valuable time attacking political opponents. Benue people expected answers. They expected figures. They expected explanations. Instead, they got insults, propaganda and diversionary rhetoric.

Kula’s claim that Ortom is Aondoakaa’s political godfather only reveals how little he understands the men he seeks to attack. Ortom has never built his political philosophy around godfatherism. Throughout his political career, he has consistently maintained that destiny is determined by God, not by political patrons. Those whose politics revolve around control and dependency naturally struggle to understand relationships built on mutual respect and shared convictions.

The CPS attempted to compare Chief Ortom with his former Nasarawa State counterpart. Curiously, he stopped halfway through the comparison. We understand why. If comparisons are to be made, let him compare the records of Governor Abdullahi Sule and Governor Hyacinth Alia. Let him compare infrastructure. Let him compare rural development. Let him compare security. Let him compare investment attraction. Let him compare local government administration. Benue people know why that comparison was carefully avoided.

No amount of propaganda can erase the embarrassment surrounding the treatment of former presidential candidate Peter Obi during his recent visit to Benue State. Across Nigeria, decent people were shocked that a prominent national figure seeking to visit internally displaced persons encountered such hostility. Rather than condemn the ugly spectacle, government officials have been searching for excuses.

Chief Samuel Ortom’s decision to make a vehicle available to Peter Obi was not politics. It was basic decency. It was a gesture of courtesy between two former governors and national leaders. The truly disturbing question is why a serving governor and state government failed to extend similar courtesy. Instead of reflecting on that failure, government propagandists have chosen to attack the one individual who acted with dignity.

The truth remains that any genuine visit to IDP camps would have exposed realities that contradict the government’s repeated claims that displacement has largely ended and that peace has substantially returned to affected communities. That possibility appears to have made some people uncomfortable. Rather than allow facts to speak for themselves, attention was diverted to political distractions.

The irony of Kula’s press conference was impossible to ignore. While he was busy attacking opposition figures, fresh reports emerged of deadly attacks in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area. Several innocent people lost their lives, including security personnel. The contrast was striking. While communities mourned, government spokespersons were occupied with political warfare.

The Alia administration has elevated propaganda into a governing philosophy. Grand claims are routinely made. Reality routinely contradicts them. Benue people are told insecurity is under control while attacks continue. They are told local government autonomy is flourishing while councils remain unable to function independently. They are told displaced persons have returned home while many communities remain deserted and unsafe.

Perhaps the greatest indictment of this administration is the gap between resources and results. Never in the recent history of Benue State has an administration enjoyed the level of federal allocations and revenue currently available. Yet, the visible impact remains disappointingly limited. With far fewer resources, previous administrations confronted severe economic challenges and still kept government functioning. Today, despite unprecedented inflows, excuses continue to multiply while performance continues to diminish.

Governor Alia appears increasingly obsessed with campaigning against his opponents instead of governing for the people. A governor seeking re-election should be presenting achievements, not rehearsing attacks. He should be defending his record, not demonising those offering alternatives. The fact that so much energy is devoted to attacking Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, speaks volumes about the growing anxiety within government circles ahead of 2027.

The PDP will not be distracted by political theatrics. Benue people are watching. They can distinguish propaganda from performance, noise from leadership, and insults from solutions.

History has never been kind to those who traded truth for temporary favour. Long after Ali’s propagandists have been forgotten, the facts will remain, and so will the verdict of the people.

Signed:

Comr. Dan Nyikwagh
State Secretary
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State.
13th September, 2026

12/09/2026

ALIA’S ATTACKS ON ORTOM, AONDOAKAA CANNOT MASK HIS FAILURE

…Fear of Defeat Driving Governor’s Assault on Opponents

The desperate and vitriolic attack launched by Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia’s administration against his predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, is nothing but a desperate attempt to divert public attention from the growing outrage and national embarrassment arising from the disgraceful treatment the state government sponsored against Mr. Peter Obi during his visit to Benue State.

Rather than address the disturbing reports that political loyalists linked to the ruling establishment obstructed Obi’s movement into Makurdi while he was on a humanitarian visit to internally displaced persons, Governor Alia and his propagandists have resorted to insults, fabrications, character assassination and political mudslinging. It is the oldest trick in the book: when confronted with failure, manufacture enemies and change the subject.

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, yesterday spent valuable time attacking Chief Ortom and Chief Aondoakaa but conspicuously avoided the one issue that continues to haunt the Alia administration: accountability. Since assuming office in 2023, Governor Alia has enjoyed unprecedented financial inflows from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), following the removal of fuel subsidy, yet neither he nor his aides have provided Benue people with a comprehensive account of how those enormous resources have been utilized.

They are permanently silent on how much the present administration has received since 2023. What projects have been executed with those resources? Why are local government areas across the state bereft of visible government presence despite the unprecedented revenue inflows?

These are the questions Governor Alia’s media aides cannot answer, which explains why the current government has chosen propaganda over performance.

Even more disturbing was the astonishing insensitivity displayed by the governor’s spokesman during the press briefing. While he was busy hurling insults at perceived political opponents, Ayilamo in Logo Local Government Area was under siege. Reports indicated that over 200 armed terrorists attacked the community, killing at least ten members of the community and four security personnel. Yet, in the midst of such tragedy, not a single word of sympathy, concern or solidarity was extended to the grieving people of Ayilamo.

That silence revealed an administration more preoccupied with political vendetta than with the protection of lives and property.

On the laughable allegation that Chief Ortom is secretly supporting Peter Obi while publicly supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nothing could be more absurd. Chief Ortom has never hidden his political positions. When he supported Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, he did so openly and courageously. Likewise, when he declared support for President Tinubu in late 2023, he did so publicly and has remained consistent in that position to this day.

Unlike those who speak from both sides of their mouths, such as the Alia administration that chooses political correctness and constant denials at the expense of the people, Chief Ortom has never been accused of political duplicity.

The attempt to link him simultaneously to Obi’s visit and to the reported blockade of Obi’s movement is not only contradictory but intellectually bankrupt. The allegation collapses under the weight of its own illogic. Evidence abounds that some of the youths who blocked Obi’s way into Makurdi township are often seen around the governor chanting war slogans including “No Alia, no Benue”.

Governor Alia recently claimed that displaced persons had been successfully returned to their ancestral homes. Peter Obi’s visit to the IDP camps, however, threatened to expose that claim as false, which explains the administration’s hostility towards anyone seeking to assess the situation firsthand and sympathize with the IDPs.

On the claim that Chief Ortom gave his vehicle to Peter Obi during his visit to Makurdi, we wish to state that the immediate past Governor of Benue is a statesman who understands the demands of public service and the obligations that come with leadership. It is therefore both ridiculous and shameful for anyone to attempt to criminalize or politicize the simple act of making a vehicle available to a fellow Nigerian leader. Peter Obi is a former Governor, a presidential candidate and one of the most prominent political figures in the country.

Imagine how it would have sounded if Chief Ortom had refused to assist him with transportation while he was in Benue on a humanitarian mission to visit internally displaced persons. Such a refusal would rightly have been viewed as petty, inhospitable and beneath the dignity of a former governor. Indeed, extending such a courtesy should ordinarily have been the responsibility of the Benue State Government itself, given the status of the visitor. That the Alia administration is now trying to make a controversy out of what was merely a humane, courteous and statesmanlike gesture exposes the poverty of its argument and the desperation behind its propaganda. In other climes, leaders are commended for extending courtesies across political divides, not vilified for doing so. The attempt to portray an act of hospitality as evidence of wrongdoing is both intellectually dishonest and politically immature.

The truth is that the Alia administration is rattled.
For months, Governor Alia’s handlers dismissed the opposition. Suddenly, they have become obsessed with Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN. Hardly a day passes without coordinated attacks on his person. The fixation is unmistakable.

What the latest outburst has exposed is what many Benue people already know: the Alia camp has identified Chief Aondoakaa as a formidable political force and a credible alternative capable of challenging the governor’s re-election ambitions. That explains the panic. That explains the relentless smear campaign. That explains the desperate effort to drag his name into every political conversation.

If Governor Alia’s administration believes it deserves another mandate, it should stop hiding behind propaganda and answer the fundamental questions confronting Benue State.

What has it done about the worsening insecurity that continues to claim innocent lives?
What has it done to revive agriculture and return farmers safely to their lands?
What major infrastructure projects can it point to across the local government areas?
What has it done to create jobs for the thousands of unemployed youths?
What measurable improvements have occurred in education, healthcare and social welfare?

These are the issues that will define the 2027 election, not cheap insults, manufactured controversies or the politics of diversion.

No amount of invective against Chief Ortom or Chief Aondoakaa can conceal the reality confronting Benue people. The Alia administration’s growing resort to propaganda is itself an admission that it is struggling to defend its record.

Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, is offering Benue people a credible alternative they can trust, and that is precisely what is fueling Governor Hyacinth Alia’s growing restlessness. Aondoakaa has presented a clear vision for restoring security, justice, accountability and good governance in Benue. He has pledged to guarantee the security of lives and property and to restore the full enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.
He has also promised to return internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities, secure their farms and create the conditions necessary for farmers to return to productive agriculture without fear.

On local government administration, Chief Aondoakaa has committed himself to genuine local government autonomy. He has promised to end the culture of dependency in which elected local government authorities are currently forced to approach the state government every month cap-in-hand, for resources that should be available to them under the principles of local government autonomy.

Above all, Aondoakaa has promised to respect the rule of law and govern with fairness, equity and justice. His message is simple: government must serve the people, not the other way around.

That is the alternative Aondoakaa represents. And if that alternative is gaining traction among the people, the answer should not be fear or political apprehension. The answer should be a record of performance strong enough to convince Benue voters.

The 2027 contest in Benue State will not be about propaganda or insults. It will be a referendum on failure versus competence, excuses versus solutions, and misplaced priorities versus purposeful leadership. Governor Alia represents the former; Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, represents the latter.

Terver Akase, PhD
Media Consultant/ Fmr Special Adviser, Media & Publicity
September 12, 2026

11/09/2026

ALIA’S DESPERATE PLOT TO STOP AONDOAKAA UNCOVERED!

…Sponsoring kinsman to challenge MKA’s candidacy in court

As the political reality of the 2027 governorship election in Benue State becomes increasingly clear, there are disturbing indications that Governor Hyacinth Alia and members of his inner circle have resorted to desperate measures aimed at stopping the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, from appearing on the ballot.

Information available suggests that a young man identified as Damian Iorhen Adagba, a member of Governor Alia’s social media team from Alia’s local government - Vandeikya, has suddenly emerged as the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). Curiously, a young man who, until recently, had no known political structure or financial capacity to sustain a governorship ambition is now being provided with vehicles, security personnel and logistical support immediately after securing the APM ticket.

Sources indicate that Governor Alia and some of his political associates yesterday held discussions on how to confront the growing popularity and acceptance of Chief Aondoakaa across the state. Their alleged conclusion was that since defeating Aondoakaa politically would be difficult, an alternative route would be to initiate litigation aimed at preventing him from participating in the election.

According to the information available, Damian Adagba is expected to serve as the vehicle for this legal adventure.

This scenario represents a misformed abuse of the judicial process and a clear attempt to achieve through the courts what cannot be achieved at the ballot box.

What makes the alleged plot even more astonishing is that those behind it appear to have ignored settled constitutional and judicial authorities on the issues they seek to raise.

First, the law is clear on who possesses the legal standing to challenge the nomination of a political party candidate. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that nomination and sponsorship of candidates are internal affairs of political parties and that only an aspirant who participated in the primary election of that political party can challenge the outcome of that process.

Damian Adagba was not an aspirant in the PDP governorship primary that produced Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, as the party’s candidate on 24 May 2026. He therefore lacks the locus standi required to challenge that nomination.

Second, those who continue to rely on earlier judicial decisions while deliberately ignoring subsequent Supreme Court pronouncements are engaging in a calculated attempt to mislead the public. The apex court has since clarified the legal position, leaving no ambiguity as to who may legitimately institute such actions.

Third, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is explicit on the qualifications and disqualifications for the office of Governor.

Sections 177 and 182 comprehensively set out the conditions for qualification and disqualification. The Constitution does not permit anyone to create additional grounds for disqualification outside those expressly provided by law. Where the Constitution has spoken clearly, political opponents cannot manufacture new conditions simply because they fear a candidate’s popularity.

Even more importantly, Section 285(9) of the Constitution imposes a strict fourteen-day limitation period for the filing of pre-election matters. That timeline is not discretionary; it is mandatory.

Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, emerged as the duly nominated PDP governorship candidate on 24 May 2026. He received his Certificate of Return on 24 June 2026, and his nomination was duly communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in accordance with the Electoral Act. His name has since been uploaded to the INEC portal.

The constitutional timeframe for challenging those processes has long elapsed.

What Benue people are witnessing, therefore, appears not to be a genuine legal contest but an orchestrated political strategy driven by fear of a formidable opponent.

Governor Alia and those around him should understand that elections are won through performance, ideas, credibility and the confidence of the people, not through proxy litigations, manufactured controversies or attempts to deny voters the opportunity to choose their preferred candidate.

If anyone believes Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, is not qualified to govern Benue State, the proper place to test that proposition is at the ballot box in 2027, not through desperate schemes designed to subvert the democratic process.

Signed,

Jerome Zoho
President
Alliance for Truth and Democracy (ATD)
Benue State

10/09/2026

2027: AONDOAKAA CHARGES WOMEN TO MOBILIZE SUPPORT ACROSS WARDS

By James Ian

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, has commended the women of the party for their immense contributions to politics, governance and the development of the state.

Chief Aondoakaa made the remarks while attending the Benue State PDP Women’s Summit, where he acknowledged the strategic role women play in strengthening the party and advancing democracy. He charged the women to rise to the occasion by taking the message of the PDP to every local government area, ward and polling unit across the state.

He urged them to work collectively for the success of all PDP candidates in the 2027 elections, from the governorship candidate and National Assembly candidates to those contesting for seats in the State House of Assembly. He emphasised that the victory of the PDP would require sustained grassroots mobilisation, unity and commitment from every member of the party.

Aondoakaa assured the women that their efforts at the grassroots would be critical to securing victory for the PDP and building a stronger, more prosperous and united Benue State.

In his remarks, the Leader of the PDP in Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, thanked the women for remaining steadfast and keeping faith with the party through what he described as three challenging years. He commended their resilience and loyalty to the PDP and expressed confidence that, with God and the leadership of Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, the party would return stronger and victorious.

Chief Ortom also described the PDP candidates as credible and capable, urging party members to remain united and mobilise support for all the party's candidates ahead of the elections.

A major highlight of the summit was the presentation of all PDP candidates to the women, as well as the official presentation of Chief Aondoakaa's wife, Chief Mrs. Nguvan Susan Aondoakaa, to the PDP women.

08/09/2026

NDC 2027 Presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi speaks on his ordeal in Makurdi as thugs sponsored by Benue State Government blocked his way and stoned his convoy

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