By Amos Aar
AN aspirant in the 2023 governorship race in Benue State on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Ben Akaakar, has defied the consensus arrangement recently reached by the party’s stakeholders in the Tiv-speaking area to go on with his aspiration.
Engr. Akaakar made this known on Sunday when he featured on Brothers FM, Makurdi, during an interactive programme, ‘Political Conversation’, to inform Benue people about his policies and programmes of action for the development of the state if elected into office.
Asked why he was still in the race after the PDP consensus that produced the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Titus Uba, as a Zone A candidate, the Vandeikya-born oil expert said: “The issue of the 2023 electoral law has brought in innovations. We are very happy that electronic voting is there and also the consensus. These are new aspects and we are trying, options are being thrown up here and there and adjustments are being made, so I think it is work in progress.
“The consensus process is still on and it will end at the congresses which will hold next month, and I believe that with determination, the party leadership and government driving these things, we will be able to arrive at decisions that will give comfort to our people. I believe we will get it right by the time we go to the congress.
“We are here to render service to the people; it is not about personal issues. This is not the Governor of Vandeikya; we are talking about the whole state as a constituency. This is a novel provision and the party is also implementing and seeing from time to time what adjustment we can make. So I believe that so long as the process has not been concluded and foreclosed, there is chance for everybody; that’s why I am still there.”
Speaking on his capacity to govern Benue, Akaakar said he has all it takes in terms of skills to transform Benue and he is looking for a bigger stage to magnify many projects that he has already done with limited resources so that it will become visible across the state.
“I believe that I have the skills to make a turnaround programme having analysed the challenges that Benue faces from security to development, environment, industries, economy and so on. I have acquired these skills over the years and I believe that I am distinctively placed to serve as a turnaround Chief Executive that can bring Benue out of the current challenges. I believe that the exposure that I have, the linkages that I have the networks that I have developed over the years will come in very handy.”
He said one of his good intentions for Benue State is wealth-creation through energy and power investment promotion achievable through partnership with neighbouring states. He added that among other things, he will also restructure the civil service and prepare Benue people for the fourth industrial revolution which Africa is being bypassed. He also promised to bring out youths from all communities and put them in productive sectors in order to create jobs for them.
