Benue Christian Elders endorse Evangelist Tor Uja as guber candidate, hands him to PDP

By Johnson Arua

The Council of Christian Elders in Benue State has officially presented Evangelist Dr. Tor Uja, former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship elections in the state.

The announcement took place at a high-profile ceremony attended by religious leaders and key members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Archbishop Benjamin Kurudu, speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Council of Christian Elders, Rt. Rev. Nathan Nyom, formally introduced Dr. Uja to the people of Benue.

During the presentation, the Archbishop prayed alongside other clerics and anointed Dr. Uja, emphasizing that the Christian community was united in endorsing him as their choice for leadership.

Presenting him to the Peoples Democratic Party officials at the ceremony, Archbishop Kurudu said “We are giving you our own to endorse. On behalf of the Christian community of Benue State, I present our governorship candidate to you, Dr. Tor Uja. Prepare him and let him climb to the place we want him to be.”

Receiving Dr. Uja, PDP State Organizing Secretary, Caleb Aba expressed the party’s full acceptance of the candidate. He assured the church and public that Dr. Uja would be given a free and fair opportunity to contest the party’s primaries.

“We welcome your anointed with open arms,” Aba stated, highlighting that Church members must register for participation in the direct primaries to influence the selection process.

In his address, Dr. Tor Uja expressed gratitude to both God and the people of Benue. He outlined a vision for governance focused on security, development, and social welfare.

Lamenting the IDP situation in the state, he assured  that on assumption of office  "within six months, there will be no IDP camps in Benue,” he declared, pledging to dismantle Fulani terrorism within a year and address the three major challenges facing the state: insecurity, poverty, and political mismanagement.

Dr. Uja also criticized the current administration for its inability to address the state’s challenges, citing ignorance and lack of capacity as key obstacles.

“Benue people should wake up to change and reshape our destiny. We need to go back to who we are supposed to be and make Benue a pride to all,” he urged.

Pastor David Ogbole, Senior Pastor of True Life Impact Ministry and former Senior Special Assistant to former Governor on Strategic Investment, described the selection of Dr. Uja as a deliberate effort by the Christian community.

“For the past six months, the body of Christ in Benue prayed, sought the face of God, and identified a candidate who combines capacity, experience, compassion, and innovation. We found that man in Dr. Tor Uja,” he said.

The event attracted a large gathering of Christian leaders from all 23 Local Hovernment Areas of Benue State, including Bishops, Archbishops, Presbyters, General Overseers, and Associate Pastors.

Their presence underscored the church’s commitment to ensuring that their endorsed candidate enters the political process.

Top PDP officials also attended, including the State Youth Leader David Mzer, the Makurdi Local Government Chairman of the party, Paul Tion and the State Vice Chairman for Zone ‘A,’ Abraham Waroh.

They assured church leaders and the public that the party would provide a fair platform for Dr. Uja to contest and, if elected, serve effectively.

Close associates of the Dr. Uja pointed out that his presentation marked the beginning of his formal journey into the 2027 governorship race. With the backing of the Christian community and PDP leadership, his campaign is expected to gain momentum across Benue State in the coming months.