The occasion was organized to receive chieftains of Benue chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC who have decided to dump their party for the Peoples Democratic Party, the ruling party in the state.
But it was also an eventful event for those who have been angling to succeed Governor Samuel Ortom who had kept their ambitions under wrap before now.
Unlike some of his colleagues who had chosen to avoid by all to avoid speaking on their likely successors, Ortom at the event held at JS Tarka Institute of Political Studies revealed six aspirants who, according to him are aspiring to replace him as Governor of Benue when his term expired in 2023.
Among the aspirants was Terver Akase, the spokesman of the Governor. Other aspirants Ortom introduced were: Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Titus Uba, Dr Paul Ubwa, Engineer Dondu Ahire, Dr Robert Orya, and commissioner of Education, Professor Dennis Ityavyar.
The governor said there other PDP gubernatorial aspirants were unavoidably absent at the event.
The Governor had at the event also asked the State PDP Chairman, Sir John Ngbede, to convene a meeting with all gubernatorial aspirants since only one person would occupy the seat in 2023.
Ortom who promised to work closely with stakeholders of the party to produce a consensus governorship candidate however said if the idea consensus candidate fails, the party will go for primary election which he emphasised would be free and fair.
Ortom expressed optimism that the party would regain power at the national level in 2023.