The 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), has urged his supporters to remain calm and resist any attempt to provoke them into violence following the burning of his campaign materials in parts of the state.
Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, made the appeal in a statement personally signed and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday.
His reaction followed the circulation of a viral video showing some hoodlums pouring petrol on and setting fire to campaign T-shirts bearing his image.
The incident has attracted condemnation from several individuals who described the action as an example of bitterness in politics.
Reacting to the development, Aondoakaa said the destruction of campaign materials should not lead his supporters to abandon the principles of peace, tolerance and rule of law which he said defined his campaign.
“I have received reports and seen images of the burning of campaign materials belonging to our movement. Like many of you, I am deeply concerned by this unfortunate development,” he said.
“However, I wish to state clearly and unequivocally that no act of provocation, no matter how offensive, should cause us to abandon the principles upon which our campaign is founded.”
The former minister called on his supporters across the 23 local government areas of Benue to avoid retaliation and refrain from destroying campaign materials belonging to other political parties.
“I therefore call on all my supporters across the 23 local government areas of our dear state to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding. Do not retaliate. Do not destroy anyone’s campaign materials. Do not engage in violence,” Aondoakaa said.
He warned supporters against allowing the incident to distract them from the campaign’s objectives, stressing that violence could undermine the political movement.
“Do not allow yourselves to be provoked into actions that will tarnish the noble cause we represent under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he said.
According to him, his campaign, known as BENUE FIRST, is built around peace, security, justice, tolerance and the rule of law.
Aondoakaa further alleged that those behind attempts to provoke his supporters were seeking to divert attention from the campaign’s message.
“Those who seek to provoke us into anger and disorder have a purpose. They want to distract us from our message. They want to create confusion and paint everyone with the same brush,” he said.
“We must not give them that opportunity. We must disappoint those who expect us to respond with bitterness and violence.”
He said the movement’s strength was not dependent on posters, banners, billboards or other campaign materials, but on the support and aspirations of the people.
“The strength of our movement, christened BENUE FIRST, does not lie in posters, banners, billboards, or campaign materials. Its strength lies in the conviction of the people, in our shared vision for a safer and more prosperous Benue, and in our collective determination to restore hope to our state,” he said.
“Campaign materials can be destroyed, but the aspirations of the people cannot be burned. The desire for peace cannot be set ablaze. The demand for good governance cannot be intimidated into silence.”
