In the long and often turbulent history of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, certain names stand out not merely for the offices they have held, but for the sacrifices they made when freedom was uncertain and democracy was under siege. One such name is Hon. Terwase Orbunde , a man whose political life is deeply intertwined with Nigeria’s march from military dictatorship to civil rule, and whose current aspiration to lead Benue State in 2027 is rooted in decades of conviction, sacrifice, and service.
Hon. Terwase Orbunde belongs to that rare generation of Nigerian politicians whose political consciousness was forged in the crucible of resistance against military rule. At a time when standing for democracy attracted intimidation, persecution, and economic ruin, Orbunde chose principle over comfort.
His commitment to the restoration of democracy took him beyond Nigeria’s borders, as part of a network of pro-democracy activists determined to draw global attention to the country’s plight under military dictatorship. This struggle led him to Europe, the United States of America, and South Africa, where he and other activists engaged international stakeholders in the fight against authoritarian rule.
In Cape Town, they met with the revered Archbishop Desmond Tutu, whose moral authority and global influence gave renewed hope to the Nigerian democratic movement. In Johannesburg, Hon.Orbunde and his delegation comprising the late Senator Fred Aghogho Brume was sent to understudy the formation of the African National Congress (ANC), with the aim of replicating the process in establishing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria.
These international engagements, however, came at a steep personal cost. Back home in Nigeria, Hon. Orbunde was branded a NADECO member, a label that marked him as an enemy of the military regime. Agents of the dictatorship descended on his livelihood, destroying his transport and trading businesses in a bid to silence him and force him into submission. Yet, even in the face of economic devastation and political persecution, Orbunde did not waver.
Always acting on his convictions, Hon. Terwase Orbunde remained steadfast in the democratic struggle. His resilience during this dark period of Nigeria’s history set him apart as a man guided not by expediency, but by belief in a just and democratic society.
It was therefore no surprise that when Nigerians of conscience gathered at the historic MUSON Centre in Lagos to chart a new political direction for the country, Orbunde was among them. That gathering gave birth to what would become one of Nigeria’s most influential political platforms “the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Within the PDP’s formative period, Hon. Orbunde played a critical role. He served on the Organization and Mobilization Committee of the party prior to its official registration, helping to lay the structural and ideological foundations of the new political movement. His commitment was further underscored by the fact that he was a signatory to the document that formally established the PDP, etching his name permanently into the party’s history.
Following the registration of the PDP, Hon. Orbunde returned home to put ideology into action. He became deeply involved in grassroots mobilization for the party in Benue State, with particular focus on Kwande Local Government Area.
His organizational skill, political insight, and deep connection with the people yielded remarkable results. Under his mobilization efforts, the PDP recorded sweeping victories, winning the Kwande Council Chairmanship position and fourteen out of fifteen council wards , a feat that testified to both his strategic ability and popular acceptance.
These achievements marked Orbunde as a trusted party builder and a dependable political strategist, qualities that would soon earn him even greater responsibilities.
Recognizing his capacity for coordination and strategy, Hon. Orbunde was subsequently appointed Acting Director General of the campaign organization of George Akume during the race for Governor of Benue State.
The outcome of that campaign remains a landmark in the state’s political history. George Akume not only emerged victorious in the governorship election, but also won in all fifteen wards of Kwande Local Government Area Orbunde’s home base. This total victory was widely seen as a testament to Orbunde’s grassroots strength, organizational discipline, and political credibility among the people.
With the return to civil rule in 1999 and the formation of government in Benue State, Hon. Orbunde soon realized that he was not assigned any immediate role within the state administration. Rather than withdraw from public life or retreat into bitterness, he took this moment as a redirection.
He proceeded to Abuja, where what he later described as a divine connection brought him into contact with Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. Recognizing Orbunde’s experience and loyalty to democratic ideals, Senator Anyim appointed him Chief Legislative Aide.
In this role, Hon. Orbunde became central to the coordination of the Senator’s aides both in Abuja and across the Ebonyi South Senatorial District. Beyond administrative duties, he was actively involved in mapping out plans and strategies for Senator Anyim’s bid for the Presidency of the Senate, further deepening his experience in high-level legislative politics. Senator Anytime appointed Hon. Orbunde as the Chief legislative aid after becoming the the Senate president of the Senate.
Long before these later responsibilities, Hon. Terwase Orbunde had already etched his name into Nigeria’s legislative history. In July 1992, he was elected into the House of Representatives at the National Assembly, Abuja, to represent Kwande Federal Constituency. The Assembly was subsequently sworn in November 1992.
During his tenure in the lower chamber, Orbunde served on key committees, including House Services and Banking and Currency Committees positions that exposed him to the core workings of governance, public finance, and institutional administration.
He quickly distinguished himself as an influential and vocal member of the House. This influence was clearly demonstrated when he was chosen to nominate Hon. Agunwa Anaekwe as Speaker of the House of Representatives, a task reserved only for legislators with credibility and respect among their peers.
His standing went beyond the National Assembly. In 1993, Hon. Orbunde was the only member nominated into General Olusegun Obasanjo’s Association for Democracy and Good Governance, based in Otta, Ogun State another recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic advocacy.
Hon. Orbunde’s political experience was not confined to Nigeria alone. Over the years, he was a guest of various international organizations and governments, including the House of Commons and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. These interactions broadened his understanding of democratic governance, international relations, and comparative political systems.
At the height of Nigeria’s democratic hope in the early 1990s, Orbunde was also one of three prominent members from Benue State involved in coordinating the presidential campaigns of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola. That historic struggle, however, was cut short when the military sacked all democratic structures in November 1993, plunging the nation back into authoritarian rule.
Following the military takeover, Hon. Orbunde once again aligned himself with democratic and progressive forces, pressing relentlessly for the early restoration of civil rule, even as repression intensified.
Today, decades after those defining struggles, Hon. Terwase Orbunde stands at another historic crossroads. Drawing from a lifetime of democratic activism, legislative service, party building, and strategic leadership, he is now seeking to become the Governor of Benue State in the forthcoming 2027 elections.
His ambition is not presented as a sudden quest for power, but as the natural continuation of a journey that began in resistance, matured in service, and is now focused on purposeful leadership. To many observers, Orbunde’s governorship bid represents the aspiration of a man who has seen Nigeria at its worst, contributed to its rebirth, and now seeks to deploy that experience for the development, unity, and prosperity of Benue State.
As Benue approaches another critical electoral season, the story of Hon. Terwase Orbunde stands as a reminder that leadership, at its best, is forged not in comfort, but in conviction and tested over time by sacrifice, service, and unwavering commitment to the people.
Writen By : Christian Asema
A Concerned Indegene Of The State
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