Benue ADC senatorial candidate unveils 12-point legislative agenda

• Promises agricultural revolution, jobs, better healthcare rural infrastructure

By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Senatorial Candidate for Benue South, Dr. David Adejo Abraham Olofu, has unveiled a 12-point legislative agenda anchored on People, Power, Prosperity and Progress( PPPP), promising a new direction for the district if elected to the Senate in 2027.

Olofu unveiled the agenda at the weekend during the flag-off of the ADC zonal campaign in Oju Local Government Area of Benue State, where he declared that the 2027 election presents an opportunity to redefine political representation and accelerate development across the nine local government areas of the senatorial district.

Addressing party faithful, traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth groups the erstwhile Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning said his proposed legislative blueprint was informed by his experience in public service and interventions in education, healthcare and economic empowerment.

To demonstrate his commitment to the welfare of constituents, Olofu cited three major intervention programmes through which he claimed to have committed millions of naira to supporting vulnerable residents and young entrepreneurs.

Under the Apa Legacy Sustainability Initiative (ALSI), he said more than 300 students from the nine LGAs had benefited from a scholarship support scheme involving ₦100,000 per beneficiary annually.

The programme, which commenced in 2024, has so far attracted ₦30 million in funding over three years.

He also disclosed that he committed ₦10 million in November 2025 to St. Helen’s Specialist Hospital, Otukpo, to offset the medical bills of pregnant women from Benue South, irrespective of their religious, political or ethnic backgrounds.

Similarly, through his Wealth and Empowerment in Benue South (WEBS) initiative, Olofu said beneficiaries had received grants of ₦200,000 each, with ₦10 million earmarked annually for five years.

He added that rural women, particularly widows, and small-scale entrepreneurs had also benefited from the scheme.

The ADC senatorial candidate further disclosed that he initiated an investment-based empowerment programme through which more than 200 constituents were reportedly supported with credits to acquire 50 units each of Dangote Refinery shares, describing the initiative as an effort to promote asset ownership and long-term wealth creation.

Unveiling his 12-point agenda, Olofu identified education, healthcare, agriculture, enterprise development, digital skills, infrastructure, local government autonomy, security, equitable resource allocation and institutional accountability as major priorities.

He promised to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education, facilitate science laboratories in local government headquarters, establish public libraries and expand scholarship, bursary and mentorship opportunities for students.

On healthcare, he pledged to facilitate the rehabilitation of primary healthcare centres, improve medical staffing and preventive care, and expand access to health insurance for indigent households.

In agriculture, Olofu proposed the establishment of a Special Purpose Agricultural Zone along the River Benue, supported by land development, produce aggregation centres, warehouse receipt systems, guaranteed off-take arrangements and agro-processing clusters across the district.

He said the objective was to move farmers away from subsistence production towards commercial agriculture, improved productivity and sustainable rural employment.

The former commissioner also promised to facilitate access to finance for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, strengthen cooperatives, provide business development support and connect rural producers to wider markets.

To address youth unemployment, he proposed ICT hubs and digital skills centres to equip young people with competencies in software development, data management and online business.

On infrastructure, Olofu pledged to prioritise strategic rural and inter-community roads linking farms to markets and communities to healthcare facilities, while advocating a review of master plans for local government headquarters.

To address insecurity challenges, the ADC candidate said he would pursue stronger legislative frameworks and collaboration among security agencies, traditional institutions and lawful vigilante groups.

He also proposed community-based peacebuilding, alternative dispute resolution, early-warning mechanisms and technology-driven surveillance.

“Security is the foundation of all development,” he stressed.

He said his experience as Benue State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning between 2015 and 2023, Chairman of the Forum of State Commissioners for Finance and Senior Technical Adviser on Fiscal Policy to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum would strengthen his capacity to attract development projects and ensure that approved interventions were implemented.

As part of his proposed accountability framework, Olofu announced plans to establish two non-partisan institutions: the Benue South Peoples Assembly (BSPA), to aggregate community needs and monitor projects, and the Benue South People’s Council, comprising traditional rulers, professionals, women, youths, religious and socio-cultural groups.

Other priorities include industrial layouts, technology hubs, ward-level enterprise initiatives, solar-powered agro-processing centres, renewable energy projects, diaspora investment partnerships, skills acquisition centres and community sports facilities.

Olofu, who described his decision to join the ADC as a choice for a new political direction, cautioned that a change of political party alone could not transform the lives of the people without quality leadership and measurable results.

He appealed for unity among the nine local government areas, declaring that no community should be left behind in the quest for development.

He promised regular consultations with constituents, public reporting of his legislative activities and budget implementation, as well as greater citizen participation in monitoring constituency projects.

“Representation is service, not ownership,” he declared.

Earlier, Chairman of the Campaign Advisory Council, John Ngbede, praised the massive turnout at the campaign flag-off and expressed confidence in Olofu’s capacity to provide effective representation for the district.

Ngbede described the candidate as an experienced public administrator with the capacity and track record to deliver meaningful development, urging voters across the nine LGAs to support all ADC candidates in the 2027 elections.

The ADC State Chairman, Chief Samson Okwu, also thanked supporters for their impressive turnout, describing it as evidence of the party’s growing political strength in the senatorial district.

Okwu, a former three-term member of the House of Representatives representing Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, expressed confidence that the ADC would defeat its political opponents in the forthcoming elections.

In his remarks, the ADC governorship candidate in Benue State, Hon. Heman Hembe, urged voters to reject the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party’s government of inflicting hardship on Nigerians.

Hembe also criticised Governor Hyacinth Alia over what he described as the failure of the state government to demonstrate commensurate development despite substantial allocations from the Federation Account.

He called on Benue voters to support the ADC in 2027, promising a different approach to governance.

Similarly, Director-General of the Olofu Campaign Organisation, Chief Chris Adaba Abah, urged the people of Benue South to rally behind all ADC candidates for the 2027 polls .

Abah, who hails from Enone Federal Constituency, argued that the senatorial seat had been dominated by his constituency for more than three decades and called for a fairer distribution of political opportunities within the district.

He maintained that other parts

of Benue South should also be given the opportunity to produce a senator, stressing the need for equity, inclusion and political balance.