The Labour Party in Benue State has named Mrs. Juliana Obetta as its deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 election. She will run alongside Mr. Mathias Byuan, who was affirmed as the party's governorship candidate last Saturday. The duo were presented to the public yesterday at the state party secretariat in Makurdi by Mr. Peter Agbese, federal lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency.
Byuan, speaking to journalists after the event, said residents of Benue had urged him to take over governance from Governor Hyacinth Alia. He pledged that, if elected, he would transform Benue from a civil service-dependent state into a viable industrial economy. Byuan claimed President Bola Tinubu has disbursed significant funds to Benue State with no visible returns. "I want to be a community governor, not the one that would take our money to Abuja. We would spend the money here so that the young people would have jobs," he said.
He announced plans to ensure 60 percent of schools in Benue offer free education, easing financial pressure on parents. Byuan stated the decision to select a woman as running mate followed wide consultation within the party. "We have chosen a woman, Juliana Obetta, a rural politician, to ensure that women have their fair share and a voice in the state," he added.
Obetta, the first female elected chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Council from 2012 to 2014, accepted the nomination. She previously served as three-time campaign director for women in the state and was a member of President Goodluck Jonathan's presidential campaign council. "I accept this nomination wholeheartedly, and I want to say to the Benue women, this nomination is for you," she said. Obetta noted that women make up over 80 percent of the electorate in the state but are often sidelined after elections. She pledged to work with the incoming First Lady, Mrs. Mathias Byuan, to achieve the long-sought 35 percent representation for women in government.
William Okefe, Labour Party state chairman, praised National Chairman Senator Nenadi Usman for supporting the Benue ticket. He expressed confidence that Byuan's leadership would bring a turnaround to the state.
Mathias Byuan criticises federal funding for Benue while relying on a national party structure led by a former APC minister for his candidacy. His promise to keep resources in Benue contradicts his dependence on a central party machinery based in Abuja. Juliana Obetta's claim that women exceed 80 percent of Benue's voters raises the question of why such influence has not yielded proportional representation. Her nomination is a gesture, but the party has not explained how 35 percent inclusion will be enforced across appointments.
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