Senators Titus Zam (Benue North-West, Zone B) and Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East, Zone A) on Monday, May 18, lost their bids to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) tickets for the 2027 senatorial election to Mr. Terseer Aber and former Governor Gabriel Suswam.
Both senators were elected in 2023 on the platform of the APC and are scheduled to complete their first terms on June 13, 2027. They appeared battle-ready for the polls until their dreams of returning to the red chamber were cut short on Monday.
Pundits have blamed the two lawmakers for their own predicament, arguing that their political choices ultimately cost them their tickets.
According to political analysts, both senators have been at loggerheads with the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, since 2023. Instead of aligning with the governor, they pledged their loyalty to Senator George Akume—the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and a man widely regarded as the state’s ultimate political kingmaker—in stout opposition to Governor Alia.
Insiders say both senators picked a fight that was not theirs to fight and, in the process, abdicated their responsibilities, deeply disconnecting themselves from their constituents and local realities.
James Atsa’am, a computer scientist, noted that it was baffling how the senators failed to read the political room. He pointed out that while the senators claimed to be fighting on behalf of Akume, Akume himself publicly kept calling for prayers for the governor. “It should have rung a bell,” Atsa’am said, adding that their defeat serves as a lesson for other political leaders.
The feud between the factions took a decisive turn when Governor Alia insisted on direct primaries, directly countering the automatic tickets for all returning APC aspirants proposed by Senator Akume.
To Sam Agwa, the head of the Benue Open Governance Society (BOGS), the APC primaries in the state were a clear demonstration of “democracy in action.”
Agwa argued that the concept of automatic tickets is not only undemocratic but is a “vision killer” because it slams the door on qualified people with fresh ambitions to serve. He explained that notwithstanding any flaws observed during the process, the exercise maintained the core spirit of direct primaries, which allows everyday party members to decide who represents them.
“That’s the way it should be. Let the people see it, let them feel it—that is true democracy,” Agwa said. He added that Governor Alia himself is prepared to test his own popularity against other APC gubernatorial aspirants, including Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun and Mr. Terwase Orbunde.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ottah Agbo Francis has emerged as the winner of the APC ticket for the Benue South Senatorial District (Zone C).
Zone C is currently represented in the Senate by Senator Abba Moro of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who serves as the Senate Minority Leader and is currently seeking a third term.
