The Labour Party of Nigeria, on Monday, made history, by unveiling a woman, former Chairman of Okpokwu LGC, Hon. Juliana Obetta, as its Deputy Governorship Candidate, ahead of 2027 general elections.
Obetta was formally presented to party faithful by the Labour Party governorship candidate, Dr. Matthias Byuan, during a ceremony in Makurdi, at a well attended ceremony.
Dr. Byuan, former Executive Director (Finance & Account), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), emerged as a consensus governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) on Saturday, in a statewide affirmation, recording 231,124 votes from delegates across the 23 LGAs of the state.
Unveiling Hon. Obetta as its Deputy Governorship candidate for the 2027 governorship election, makes her the first woman to be nominated for the position by a political party in the state.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Byuan described the nomination as a deliberate effort to promote women’s participation in governance and ensure greater inclusiveness in leadership.
“This is the first time a woman will emerge as a deputy governorship candidate in Benue State. We are a party that believes women must have a voice in government,” he said.
Byuan expressed confidence that the Labour Party would emerge victorious in the 2027 election and outlined his administration’s plans to transform the state.
“When we take over the leadership of Benue State in 2027, we will create jobs by transforming the state from a civil service-driven economy to an industrialised one. We will introduce free education at all levels, tackle insecurity decisively, and overhaul all sectors to ensure Benue occupies its rightful place among the leading states in Nigeria,” he added.
The governorship candidate explained that Obetta’s emergence followed extensive consultations with party leaders and stakeholders, adding that she was the most suitable choice for the position.
Earlier, the Member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency and the Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chief Philip Agbese, described the recently concluded LP primaries as the most peaceful and transparent in the state.
“Our primaries were conducted without rancour, making them the best among all political parties in the state. The Labour Party is ready to take over leadership in Benue, and we call on the people to rally behind us,” Agbese said.
The LP candidate for Enone praised the choice of Obetta, noting that her nomination would strengthen women’s representation in politics and broaden support for the party across the state.
In her acceptance speech, Obetta dedicated the nomination to women across Benue State, describing it as a significant step toward achieving gender inclusion in governance.
“This nomination, I accept wholeheartedly, and I want to say to the women of Benue that this nomination is for you,” she said.
She stressed that, “women constitute more than 80 percent of the voting population in the state, yet, after elections they are often sidelined. This is the first time a political party in Benue is giving women this level of recognition. I will be a voice for women and ensure their concerns are heard”.
Obetta, who served as the first female Chairman of Okpokwu between 2012 and 2014, also pledged to work with the wife of the governorship candidate, Mrs. Matthias Byuan, to advance women’s interests and push for greater inclusion in government.
“We will work together to ensure women have a stronger voice in governance and that the 35 percent affirmative action women have long advocated for becomes a reality,” she added.
In their separate remarks, the Senatorial Candidate for Benue South, Hon. Samuel Onuh; and the state chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. William Okefe Ochonu; commended the party’s national leadership, particularly the National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, for supporting the successful conduct of the party’s primaries and candidate selection process.
According to them, the emergence of Dr. Byuan and Hon. Obetta has positioned the Labour Party as a strong contender and party to win in the 2027 governorship race.
They affirmed that the nomination of Hon. Obetta as deputy governorship candidate enjoyed massive affirmation during the statewide consultations, thanking Dr. Byun for finding her worthy of the position.
