Benue will deliver 1m votes for Tinubu, says deputy governor
Samuel Ode, deputy governor of Benue, says the state will mobilise all machinery to ensure President Bola Tinubu secures one million votes during the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Thursday in Makurdi, the state capital, while conducting journalists and government officials on an inspection tour of federal and state government projects, Ode said it is his responsibility to ensure that the promise of one million votes made by Hyacinth Alia, the state governor, is realised.
“We already have a pronouncement by the governor of Benue state, his excellency Father Alia. He made the pronouncement that Benue will deliver one million votes for Mr president,” Ode said.
“I think my responsibility as the deputy governor is to make sure I mobilise the executive council and the people of Benue state in large numbers to actualise that promise that has been made by the governor.”
In 2023, Tinubu won the presidential election in Benue with 310,468 votes, followed by Peter Obi, who contested on the Labour Party platform and secured 308,372 votes, while Atiku Abubakar, who ran under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), got 130,081 votes.
At the time, the state had a total of 2,777,727 registered voters.
The former minister of state for Niger Delta affairs commended the federal government for executing developmental projects in the state.
He said the Benue government under Alia established the Food Basket Brewery in alignment with the federal government’s multi-sectoral approach to development.
“On assumption of office, the governor did a groundbreaking for this brewery, and that was in response to the need of the state because Benue is a very large market for beverages,” Ode said.
“We have the Benue Brewery Nigeria Limited, which was established by the first civilian governor of Benue state, Aper Aku. Today, after over 30 years, Benue governor, father Alia, has put together this particular brewery, which is producing the Zeva brand of beer and the Zeva malt.”
The deputy governor said the federal government’s intervention in the construction of the Buruku bridge in Buruku LGA of Benue would address the incessant loss of lives, describing the project as a “golden gift” to the state.
He noted that the bridge, when completed, will link the north-central to the north-east from Benue to Taraba state.
“This is quite a monumental project. We term it a golden gift to the people of Benue state by our president. If you know the history of this bridge, [you will know that] we have come a very long way with it,” the deputy governor said.
“This river has consumed lives and property. There have been a lot of boat mishaps across this river over the decades. And by the way, this is the fifth bridge within the territory of Benue state.”
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, who led the presidential media team to the road inspection, said projects across the state are evidence of where the federal government is channelling its resources.
The government has been accused of so many things, including borrowing money, but we can see where the money is going to: to develop infrastructure, to link people who have been forgotten, and to make sure that at least commerce flows freely,” Onanuga said.
Onanuga added that the bridge will reduce travel time between communities, especially between rural areas and the capital city.