Former Executive Director of Housing, Finance and Accounts at the Federal Housing Authority, Abuja, Mathias Byuan, has officially obtained the Labour Party’s expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the 2027 Benue State governorship election.
Despite joining the Labour Party, Byuan reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The governorship hopeful visited the Labour Party national secretariat on Friday alongside several other aspirants seeking tickets for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly positions across Benue State’s three senatorial districts.
Addressing journalists after picking up the forms, Byuan stated that although he would be contesting the governorship election under the Labour Party, he still believed in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and would continue to support his administration.
According to him, the President has recorded notable achievements through ongoing developmental projects across the country, including some within Benue State, and should be given another opportunity to complete them.
He appealed to his supporters to vote for President Tinubu for the presidency, while supporting him and other Labour Party candidates in Benue during the 2027 elections.
Byuan explained that his decision to run on the Labour Party platform was motivated by his desire to rescue Benue State from insecurity and what he described as poor governance under the current administration.
He accused the state government of failing to meet critical obligations, including the payment of workers’ salaries, which he said had contributed to industrial actions by health and local government workers in the state.
The former APC governorship aspirant pledged that if elected governor, his administration would prioritize security and the welfare of citizens, while also focusing on sectors such as healthcare, education, housing, road infrastructure, and rural development.
A statement issued by his Special Adviser, Akange Nyagba, said party stakeholders and supporters at the Labour Party secretariat expressed confidence in Byuan’s ambition and assured him of their support.
Byuan had earlier sought the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, before later defecting to the Labour Party.