Demands for a consensus governorship candidate in Benue State has gained more support within the leadership of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Many political leaders today confided that party leaders, including the party’s national leadership, may have finally agreed on a consensus candidate.

A source said the choice today is the incumbent Deputy Governor, of Benue State, Engr. Benson Abounu.

NewsOrient learnt further that the choice, which was the major item in the agenda of a critical stakeholders’ meeting last Sunday, may have been endorsed by the party’s national leaders, including leaders in the state who were initially opposed to the choice of the Deputy Governor as the consensus candidate for the 2023 governorship election.

Our source said, “Yes, the party, last night, at a Special Stakeholders meeting, zoned the governorship ticket to the Deputy Governor’s area. In fact, it was widely said it should be limited to Vandaikya Local Government Area. This evidently suggests making the Deputy Governor our consensus candidate,” the source said.

A source, who confirmed the special meeting, said that the leaders in attendance included PDP’s top leadership like Governor Samuel Ortom, PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, Senator Gabriel Suswam and BoT member, Chief Mrs. Margaret Icheen.

We also learnt that the party leaders agreed that their preferred consensus candidate would be formally adopted within the first week of this month, April, 2022.