Borno South senator, Ali Ndume, has said the people of North-East will reciprocate President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure reforms in the region with massive votes in the 2027 general election.

He disclosed this in a statement on Saturday following the flag-off of the reconstruction and dualization of the 125-kilometer Gombe-Biu highway.

The senator hailed Tinubu and the minister of works, David Umahi, for redeeming their pledges to put the road in good shape.

He said, “In 2019, during a high-level engagement with the then minister of works and housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, which I initiated, I expressed concerns regarding the deplorable condition of the Biu–Gombe Road, emphasizing its strategic significance to economic integration, interstate mobility, security operations, and regional development within the Northeast subregion.

“Also in July 2021, during an engagement with the Ministry of Works, during deliberations connected to national infrastructure financing frameworks, including projects tied to African Development Bank-supported facilities, I also made a presentation on the urgent need to include the Biu–Gombe corridor within federal rehabilitation priorities, strategic funding windows, and long-term infrastructure development frameworks.

“It is heartwarming to note that my interaction with the present minister of works, engineer Dave Umahi, in a letter dated February 11, 2026, in which I drew his attention to the exclusion of Biu/Damboa/Maiduguri, all in Borno State, in the 2026 budget for four legacy projects of the present administration finally paid off as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) eventually approved the Biu–Gombe Road project under the federal tax credit and infrastructure intervention framework.

“The project was subsequently captured among strategic national road interventions financed through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) tax liabilities arrangement.”

“I want to appreciate Mr. President for listening to my calls.

“It is a laudable project that will unlock economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for Nigerians.”

“I am sure that the people of the Northeast will appreciate this gesture of Mr. President and reward him with their votes in the forthcoming general elections.”

Recall that the road project, valued at N1.245 trillion, was flagged on Thursday in Liji, Gombe State.

Two weeks after the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship primary election in Benue State, the declared winner, Herman Hembe, is yet to receive his Certificate of Return, amid an ongoing review of the exercise by the party’s national leadership.

The development follows petitions submitted by some aspirants who are demanding a fresh primary, alleging that the process that produced the reported winner was flawed and failed to reflect the wishes of party members.

A party source told our reporter on Saturday that the national body of the ADC is currently reviewing the outcome of the exercise, hence the delay in issuing a certificate of return to Hembe.

The petitioners, Joseph Waya and Peter Adejoh, in separate petitions to the party leadership, raised concerns over the conduct of the exercise and called for a review of the outcome.They also urged the party to constitute a new governorship electoral committee made up of individuals who are neither indigenes nor residents of Benue State to guarantee neutrality and credibility in any subsequent process. 

In a statement obtained by DAILY POST on Saturday, Waya faulted a memo reportedly issued by ‘The Herman Hembe Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation Benue 2027’ announcing the constitution of a committee to select a running mate for the Benue ADC governorship ticket.

According to him, the party has yet to conclude its review of the primary election.

However, despite the development, Hembe has set up a nine-man committee to pick his running mate ahead of 2027 polls.

Reacting, Waya said, “We wish to state that ADC Benue has no governorship candidate yet as the primaries are currently under review by the National Secretariat of the African Democratic Congress in line with directives from the National Chairman and resolutions of the just-concluded NEC.”

He argued that constituting a committee for the selection of a running mate before the conclusion of the review process was premature.

“This is therefore a clear case of putting the cart before the horse, to be shopping for a deputy when the party has not yet declared its governorship candidate.

“It is procedurally improper for any campaign organisation to constitute committees on running mate selection when the substantive ticket remains under review and no candidate has emerged,” he stated.

Waya further noted that the memo referenced consultations with the national and state leadership of the party but did not provide evidence of any formal approval or directive from the National Secretariat.

Similarly, Peter Adejoh, the only governorship aspirant from Benue South Senatorial District, commended the party leadership for reviewing the primary election and expressed confidence that the process would strengthen internal democracy within the ADC.

Adejoh urged the national leadership of the party to ensure that all grievances arising from the exercise are thoroughly addressed in the interest of fairness, transparency and party unity.

“I commend the national leadership of our party for reviewing the governorship primary election. This demonstrates the party’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and internal democracy.

“I believe all concerns raised by aspirants should be carefully considered in the interest of justice, party unity, and the overall success of the ADC in Benue State.

“It is surprising that a committee for the selection of a running mate is being constituted when the party has not concluded its review and no Certificate of Return has been issued. Such actions are capable of creating confusion among party members and the public,” Adejoh said.

A support group of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, the Grassroots Mobilization Network, GMN, has expressed concerns over ongoing legal disputes involving the party, urging the judiciary to uphold fairness and due process.

Speaking on Saturday in Abuja, the group’s spokesperson, Peter Emeka, said all stakeholders must work to protect democratic institutions and ensure confidence in the electoral process.

“The ruling party doesn’t want anyone on the ballot,” Emeka alleged, while calling on the courts to remain impartial in the handling of political cases.

He urged judicial officers handling political matters to act in accordance with the law and in a manner that would strengthen public trust in the judiciary.

According to him, court decisions on politically sensitive matters often attract public attention and should be guided by the principles of justice, fairness, and constitutional order.

Emeka also argued that issues relating to party leadership and internal party affairs should be addressed in line with existing legal precedents and established judicial pronouncements.

He noted that the legal proceedings involving the ADC and Nafiu Bala have generated significant interest among party members and political observers.

The ADC and Nafiu Bala have been involved in a leadership dispute, with several cases filed in different courts.

One of the matters is expected to come up for hearing in the coming days.