Udende, Zam lose as Suswam, Aber win APC senatorial tickets in Benue

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Benue North East Senatorial primary election, which was held across the district’s nine Local Government Areas (LGAs), was won by Senator Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of Benue State.

The LGAs are Konshisha, Vandeikya, Kwande Ushongo, Katsina-Ala, Logo, and Ukum.
With 131,083 votes, Suswam defeated his six opponents, including the incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udende, who received 1,364 votes overall, and his closest rival, Cephas Tushima, who received 4424 votes.

In the recently finished primaries, Senator Titus Zam, the District’s incumbent senator, lost his ticket for reelection.

The election was held in seven Local Government Areas, including Buruku, Gwer East, Gwer West, Guma, Gboko, Tarka, and Makurdi, according to Chief John Ihembe, the Returning Officer for the election.
Benjamin Aber, a former Custom Officer and the spouse of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), defeated Titus Zam, the incumbent, with 93,412 votes in the hotly contested Zone B election. Zam received 2,763 votes.

Sabiu Saidu, the chairman of the National Assembly Primary poll Committee, announced the results at the APC Secretariat in Makurdi on Tuesday. He claimed the poll was free, fair, and peaceful.

Saidu proclaimed Mr. Benjamin Aber and Mr. Gabriel Suswam the winners of the election after they received the most votes.

“I, Sabiu Saidu Mahuta, the electoral returning officer, have signed their declaration dated today, May 19, 2026,” he stated.

The results of the primaries held in the Benue South Senatorial District were still pending at the time this story was filed.