New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP
The candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP,  Professor,  Bem Angwe, , a former Secretary of the Human Rights Commission and current Chairman of NABTED, is not favoured by the zoning system  in the state.
His party is relatively unknown in the state. It did not make any impact in the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
People’s Democratic Party, PDP
Rt. Hon. Titus Uba who has been Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly for six years, is a mechanical engineer. He was elected into the Assembly for Kyan State constituency from Vandeikya Local Government area on the platform of the PDP in 2015 and reelected in 2019. He is accused of leading a rubber stamp assembly that approves debts for the executive amounting to billions of Naira.
Uba is said not to be eloquent in public speech, coupled with his current health challenge, have made people to be wary about his ability to carry out administrative work of a governor. His emergence at the governorship primary, which was alleged to have been manoeuvred by the PDP leadership in the state, made his co-contestants to play anti-party activity behind the scene.
All Progressives Congress, APC
Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the APC flagbearer, was a Catholic priest for over 32 years. His healing masses for over decades have endeared christians of different denominations to him. He was later transferred to Saint Theresa Catholic Church, High Level, Makurdi, in the Catholic diocese of Makurdi, where he continued with his healing mission. Fr Alia was later sent on higher studies, where he bagged a Ph.D from the United States of America before returning to Nigeria.
His emergence as the governorship candidate of the APC stirred up litigation, but was resolved by the Apex Court in his favour. Many candidates that scaled through in the February 25 National Assembly elections were said to have ridden on Alia’s back to victory. He may clinch the March  18 governorship seat in the state.
In order to strengthen his chances, Alia recently threw open his door for  hundreds  of  decampees into his party  including  former Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Dave Iorhemba, one time Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Sule Audu among other notable PDP members.
Labour Party, LP
Rt Hon. Herman Hembe, the LP candidate, is a lawyer and member representing Jechira Federal constituency, three times. He was first elected on the platform of the PDP and later APC.
The Labour Party strong man is on ground. So, he is not a pushover. The pendulum, analysts say, may swing to his side.
Social Democratic Party, SDP
James Bemgbator Mede, a 2005 Mass Communication graduate of the Benue State University, Makurdi, is an activist. SDP is not new in Benue State, having produced the second civilian governor, Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu. Mede who comes from the same axis with Fr Alia is seen by many as a huge joker in the race. Yet, he may spring a surprise in the game.
Other contestants include Mr. Joseph Waya,  a renowned  journalist, who is slugging it out on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. Dr. Mathias Oyiyegaya of the Accord Party, AP, is Benue South Senatorial District which has never occupied the number one seat since the creation of the state in 1976. He argues that that for the purposes of fairness and equity, the power brokers should allow him through the instrumentality of the ballot box to succeed Governor 0rtom in the Saturday’s elections.
Pundits believe the odds favour the APC, which upturned the apple cart against the ruling PDP in the February 25, 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections. It won two out of three Senate seats and 10 out of 11 House of Representatives seats.
Also, Bola Tinubu won the highest votes in the presidential election.