Quick Summary: Mathias Byuan Chosen First Female Deputy Governor of Benue State
- Mathias Byuan has chosen Julie Obeta as his running mate, aiming to make her the first female deputy governor of Benue State.
- Obeta emphasizes the need for women’s representation, pledging to achieve a 35% affirmative action target in government roles.
- The Labour Party is positioning Obeta’s nomination as a significant step towards gender inclusion in Benue politics.
- Byuan’s political strategy includes a controversial endorsement of President Tinubu, despite running on the Labour Party platform.
- Obeta’s political background includes roles in local government and a past association with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign.
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In a bold move that could reshape Benue’s political landscape, Mathias Byuan has selected Julie Obeta as his running mate for the 2027 governorship race. This decision positions Obeta to potentially become the first female deputy governor of Benue State, signaling a significant shift towards gender representation in a region where women have historically been sidelined.
Obeta, a former chairperson of Okpokwu LGA, is not just a symbolic choice. She has pledged to push for a 35% affirmative action target for women in government, making her candidacy a statement on women’s empowerment and political inclusion. Byuan’s decision to pair with Obeta is not just about balancing the ticket but about making a historic statement in Benue politics.
However, Byuan’s political maneuvering is not without controversy. Despite running on the Labour Party platform, he has openly endorsed President Bola Tinubu of the APC for the 2027 presidential race. This cross-party stance could complicate his campaign message, but it also highlights his strategy to build a broader coalition.
Obeta’s political experience, including her past role in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign, adds depth to her candidacy. Her refusal of a special assistant role under Governor Alia further underscores her independent political stance.
As the Labour Party completes its primaries and solidifies its candidates, the focus will be on whether Byuan and Obeta can maintain the momentum of this historic announcement. The challenge will be to convert this headline into a coherent campaign that resonates with Benue’s electorate, particularly women who have long awaited greater representation in government.
The latest reports identify her as a former chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Area from 2012 to 2015 and a one-time member of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign team. Just over two weeks earlier, on May 15, he bought LP nomination forms after previously operating in the APC space and publicly said that even though he was seeking office on the Labour Party platform, his preferred 2027 presidential candidate remained President Bola Tinubu of the APC.
One report also says she was appointed a special assistant by Governor Alia in 2023 but declined the appointment. In the newest accounts published on June 1, she said women make up a significant share of Benue’s voting population but are “often sidelined after elections,” and she pledged to push for the 35 per cent affirmative action target for women in government appointments and decision-making.
One report quoted him saying, “We have consulted widely with the party stakeholders across the state and today and they unanimously elected Mrs Julie Obeta,” before adding that she could become “the first female deputy governor of Benue State” in 2027. In separate June 1 reporting, LP officials said the party had completed primaries across the state and affirmed Byuan as its governorship candidate, while House of Representatives member Philip Agbese secured the party’s ticket for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency with more than 52,000 votes across three LGAs and 35 council wards.
The sharpest new development is that Benue Labour Party governorship candidate Mathias Byuan has now formally paired his 2027 ticket with former Okpokwu LGA chairperson Julie Obeta, turning what could have been a routine running-mate announcement into a gender-representation pitch and an early test of whether LP can distinguish itself in a crowded Benue race. According to the latest reports from Makurdi on Monday, June 1, he said the party had “consulted widely” and that stakeholders “unanimously elected” Obeta.
Byuan is attempting to broaden his coalition at the same time he is attacking Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration over governance failures. That detail stands out because it suggests she is not entering politics as an outsider; she has moved through multiple political circles and now lands on the LP ticket at a moment when Benue parties are rapidly assembling 2027 alliances.
Just over two weeks earlier, on May 15, he bought LP nomination forms after previously operating in the APC space and publicly said that even though he was seeking office on the Labour Party platform, his preferred 2027 presidential candidate remained President Bola Tinubu of the APC. Obeta emphasizes the need for women’s representation, pledging to achieve a 35% affirmative action target in government roles.
She has pledged to push for a 35% affirmative action target for women in government, making her candidacy a statement on women’s empowerment and political inclusion. Despite running on the Labour Party platform, he has openly endorsed President Bola Tinubu of the APC for the 2027 presidential race.
In the newest accounts published on June 1, she said women make up a significant share of Benue’s voting population but are “often sidelined after elections,” and she pledged to push for the 35 per cent affirmative action target for women in government appointments and decision-making. One report quoted him saying, “We have consulted widely with the party stakeholders across the state and today and they unanimously elected Mrs Julie Obeta,” before adding that she could become “the first female deputy governor of Benue State” in 2027.
In separate June 1 reporting, LP officials said the party had completed primaries across the state and affirmed Byuan as its governorship candidate, while House of Representatives member Philip Agbese secured the party’s ticket for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency with more than 52,000 votes across three LGAs and 35 council wards. In a bold move that could reshape Benue’s political landscape, Mathias Byuan has selected Julie Obeta as his running mate for the 2027 governorship race.
Obeta’s political background includes roles in local government and a past association with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign. According to the latest reports from Makurdi on Monday, June 1, he said the party had “consulted widely” and that stakeholders “unanimously elected” Obeta.
The scale and speed of this development has caught many observers off guard. Each new update adds another dimension to a story that is still unfolding, and the full picture will only become clear as more verified details emerge from the people and institutions directly involved.
Analysts who have tracked this issue closely say the current moment represents a genuine turning point. The decisions made in the coming weeks are expected to set the direction for months ahead, with ripple effects likely to extend well beyond the immediate actors in the story.
For those directly affected, the practical impact is already visible. People navigating this fast-changing situation are dealing with real consequences while new information continues to reshape what is known and what remains open to interpretation.
Historical parallels offer some context, though experts caution against drawing too close a comparison. Similar situations have played out before, but the specific combination of pressures, personalities, and timing here makes this moment distinct in ways that matter for how it ultimately resolves.
The political and economic dimensions of this story are deeply intertwined. What appears as a single event on the surface is in practice the convergence of multiple pressures that have been building quietly over a longer period than most public reporting has captured.