22/04/2026
WHY PRINCE AONDONA ISAKA IS MOST QUALIFIED FOR MAKURDI NORTH STATE CONSTITUENCY SEAT COME 2027
Aside the laid down points, Hon. Isaka Ornguga has all it takes to represent the good people of Makurdi North come 2027, based on his integrity and proven, exceptional performance in previous positions he has held. He performed exceptionally as the pioneer coordinator of the Benue PDP media team and as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation, and later as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Government Affairs.
As SSA on Youth Mobilisation, he was instrumental in mobilising Benue youths through the office of the former First Lady of Benue, Dr. Mrs. Eunice Ortom, towards PDP victory in 2019.
LOYALTY TO PARTY
In recent years in Benue politics, one of the youths that stands out when it comes to loyalty is Hon. Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga. Recall that immediately the PDP lost power in 2015, almost all those who benefitted from the party abandoned it and ran away. While others took appointments as lecturers, others jumped ship, and some went on political sabbatical.
Hon. Isaka remained steadfast, galvanising support for the PDP through the social media space, defending the government of Suswam, which he did not benefit from. He did this out of love for the party and belief in PDP ideology.
To further demonstrate his love for the party, in 2016, through the instrumentality of his uncle, Hon. Mnyam Matthew, who was an adviser to His Excellency, Dr. Samuel Ortom, then Governor of the state on the platform of the APC, Hon. Prince Aondona Isaka, Hon. Jila Barnabas, and the current Speaker met the governor, with Isaka spearheading the visit as leader of the Benue PDP media team.
They had a productive meeting with the then governor, but because of his love for the party and not out of hatred for the governor, Hon. Isaka refused to jump ship, while Berger Alfred Emberga, who is today the Speaker, defected and was made the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, alongside other incentives.
Hon. Isaka remained steadfast, working and praying for the PDP to return to power in 2019. However, as fate would have it, the party returned to power earlier than expected, and Hon. Isaka maintained his loyalty by aligning with the party leadership under Dr. Samuel Ortom till date.
Even when the party went through internal crisis after the Ortom administration, Isaka consistently remained loyal to Dr. Samuel Ioraernyi Ortom till date. It is now time for the party and its leadership not only to reward Hon. Isaka but also to support him to win the forthcoming Makurdi North State Constituency seat.
THE NYIEV PEOPLE AND PATTERN OF SELECTING LEADERS
Hon. Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga was born into the family of the late Zaki Ornguga Adah of Mbayior, Mbasalaka, Udzer Nyiev in Makurdi Local Government Area. His father, the late Zaki Ornguga Adah, was the first kindred head of North Mission Ward One in North Bank, Makurdi LGA.
The Nyiev people in Makurdi have, over time, demonstrated the Tiv sharing formula of “Ya na angbian.” In 1992, from Mbasalaka Udzer where Isaka hails from, when the issue of the kindred head of Mbayior arose, Mbaungwa, who are the first son of Mbasalaka, were peacefully supported to produce the first Ortar u Mbakyor, Zaki Agwa Nyior.
Subsequently, when the issue of who becomes councillor from Mbasalaka came up in 1999, the Mbaungwa people, demonstrating love and respect for the Tiv principle of “Ya na angbian,” decided not to hold both traditional and political power. They therefore supported a Mbakyior son, Hon. Isaac Chul, who became the first councillor from Mbasalaka.
A fortnight ago, the eldest son of Nyiev, Mbagune Nyiev, also demonstrated this same principle when they made Hon. Tony Dyegeh Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, even though he is from the second son of Mbagune, Mbazungwe. The reason was that Kpillim, the first son of Mbagune, already held the Tyoor u Nyiev stool through Zaki Damsa.
Just last year, the issue of who replaces Zaki Damsa, the late Tyoor u Nyiev from Mbagune, arose. As is the tradition of the Nyiev people in respecting seniority, when the Tyoor stool was zoned to Mbasalaka, the Mbaungwa, being the first son of Mbasalaka, took the position, even though others contested. This was done with the understanding that they would reciprocate when any political position is zoned to Mbasalaka again.
Now that the State Assembly seat has been zoned to Udzer, and precisely to Mbasalaka, and since no other Udzer son is contesting under the PDP, with only Mbaungwa and Mbakyior sons in the race, courtesy demands that the position should be ceded to Mbayior, where Hon. Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga hails from, following the established precedents outlined above.
MAKURDI NORTH STATE CONSTRUCTION BY WARDS.
Makurdi North state constituency is made up of Five council wards of, Agan, Mbalagh, North bank One, North bank Two and Market clark, of all these wards only North bank One where Isaka hails from is yet to have someone to represent Makurdi North.
Agan had the late Bartholomew Orjime who served for eight years and the current speaker, Rt. Hon. Alfred Emberger who is about rounding up his four years tenure as members
Mbalagh had Hon. Aza Martins and Hon. Kudi Thomas, North Bank two had Rt. Hon. Terhemen Tarzoor and RT Hon Avine Agbom .
Market Clark had late Alhaji Abdulrahaman Anas representing with only North Bank One where Isaka hails from yet to occupy this exalted seat of power, the Makurdi North state constituency seat.
Going by ward to ward representation too, Hon. Isaka North bank one is the most favoured to clinch the seat with him as the only contestant.
Aside from being favoured by zoning, Hon. Isaka has all it takes to reclaim the lost glory of the Isherev nation and Makurdi North as a whole. He demonstrated leadership capacity when he served as Youth Leader of North Mission Ward One in North Bank.
He was born and raised on the streets of North Bank and possesses the experience and grassroots connection required to bring lasting peace to Makurdi North.
Orduwen Audu
Writes from Mbagune Nyiev,
Makurdi local government.
