By Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
Benson Abounu, Benue state Deputy Governor on Friday collected the nomination form for the governorship election of 2023.
The Deputy Governor who said he had garnered enough experience to be able to lead the state stressed that he have served in various positions in the state, three different administrations and today he is the sitting deputy governor who has been in office for two times.
“I was once a commissioner for two times in another administration and now deputy governor for two times in the current administration.
” With the experience behind me, with my level of education and with my level of social interaction in the state, and knowing precisely what it takes to take our state to the next level, I think I am very vast in terms of experience and knowledge to be able to govern Benue state, and this is why I brought myself and I’m presenting myself to the people of Benue state to accept me and give me the opportunity to serve them come May 29, 2023.
On the issue of age, he said the younger generation needs his experience, adding “They need my level of education. They need all the things that I’ve gathered over the years, especially in three different administrations. And by the way, my policy when I get sworn in, two hours later, because of all the experiences I’ve gathered in the past, I’ll be announcing members of my Cabinet and this cabinet will be made up of 60 to 70% of the youths.
“They need my experience and I need their resourcefulness, I need their energy, I need their current knowledge. They are the ones that I’ll be pushing forward to implement all the things that will be coming from my head, So I have no problem at all. In that regard.
On weather he has a good working relationship with the Governor, the Deputy Governor said, “Between me and my governor, In nearly seven years, we have not had one single quarrel. My Governor understands me and I understand him. We are together in virtually everything that we do.
He trusts me so much to the extent that he sends me on errand me to the governor’s forum meeting, to the National Economic Council meeting, to even the Council of States that is presided over by the president himself, I represent him there. I represent him in the northern governors forum meeting and I have had the singular opportunity of having and trusting in me all the assignments that they go. The other governors hardly even recognize their own deputy governors and therefore put them forward to carry out those assignments.
“As I talk to you, we have no problems with each other at all and therefore I believe, since he knows that I believe in all the things that he believes in. I think I will not have any problem at all for him to cede power to me.
” After all, I am one deputy governor that worked with my governor in all these seven years. Each time he went on leave, he transmitted power to me. Many governors don’t do this. And therefore I have the belief that I will not have any problem at all in having him allow me to become like the next Governor of the state.
On your plans for the state
“I have all the plans for them. I am going to transform the agricultural business of Benue state. We are going to set up or I will be setting up what is called Produce Stock Exchange just in the same manner that you have the Nigerian Stock Exchange and it works this way.
We will encourage people to produce and mass agricultural products and when they are ready, the product will be sold at the stock exchange. We pick them up and put them in stock and they will be online and they will trade them in the same way that stock exchanges operated. So we are going to take agriculture to the next level.
Benue state is perhaps the most educated state in the whole of northern Nigeria and we are going to continue with this level of education. I’m going to make sure that human resources development will be next to none. We will be employing the ICT and make everything very modern as far as the management and governance of Benue state is concerned. You know, we are into virtually all the sectors of the economy. We are going to take care of health because health is wealth. I have a manifesto that I make available to you later.
On Security
“The most important thing as of today, not only in Benue state but in the entire country of Nigeria is the terrible state of insecurity that we have in the nation. My governor has stood very firm. He has stood in resistance to the incursion of insurgents. Thank God he has used me and taught me, I’ve learned a lot from him and all that I will need to do when I become governor is to deploy all that I’ve learned. I’m going to ensure that insecurity is brought to an end not only in Benue state but also in the Federation of Nigeria.
Remarks by Campaign DG Hon. David Iorhemba.
Today Benue is about to make history. For over 46 years, No person has come from the zone to govern the state. We are united behind his excellency in his quest to become the next Governor of Benue State come 2023 We are all united behind him. And I want to assure you that he’s going to pick the ticket and he will win the election
Remarks by Sen. Abba Moro
I am here in solidarity with His Excellency, the deputy governor who is aspiring to become the governor of Benue State particularly in the belief and in my advocacy for a power shift to the benefit of the Southern district.
We’re a community of fairness, a community of equity, a community of justice, and I believe that this time around, we should be persuaded to queue behind our brother, to be the next Governor of any state in 2023.
