PDP, APC candidates shun Benue guber debate

Johnson Babajide, Makurdi

Governorship candidates of four political parties in Benue State have promised to accord priority to lingering insecurity in the state.

The governorship candidates on the platform African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance, Social Democratic Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance who spoke separately at the 2023 Benue Gubernatorial Debate organised by SAVDFUTUR, a non Governmental organisation held in Makurdi on Monday.

Unfolding their blue print separately the candidates insisted that security issue would be given top priority and highlighted various formular to tackle the insecurity headlong.

Of the six candidates invited for the debate, candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party Titus Uba and the All Progressive Congress,. Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia failed to attend the debate held on Monday in Makurdi.

The four candidates spoke extensively on their development agenda for the state noted that no government would make progress without first tackling the security challenges facing the People.

The candidates; Terhemen Tilley-Gyado ADC, Dabu Asemayina of AA, Mede Bemgbator of SDP and Joseph Waya of APGA all spoke extensively on their development agenda for the state noted that no government would make progress without first tackling the security challenges facing the People.

According to the APGA candidate, Joseph Waya, “as a government you can achieve nothing if the security of lives and properties is not given the appropriate attention it deserves. So my government will take all necessary steps to end armed herders attacks in our communities to ensure peace in our state.”

The same position was adopted by the AA, ADC and SDP candidates who also reiterated their resolve to check the manace of herdsmen killings and drift in the state if elected in the March 11 election.

The debate Coordinator, Mr. Kator Inyom, said the platform was created to avail the candidates the opportunity to speak to the people and also take question from them directly on their plans and development agenda for the state and its people.

Inyom said that six of the sixteen governorship candidates were invited to the debate but the candidates of the dominant parties, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressive Congress and Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party were conspicuously absent.