MAKURDI — The Benue State Government has made a strong case for political continuity ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging citizens to look beyond quick political gestures and support a two-term roadmap to ensure lasting socio-economic development.
In an official statement, Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, argued that a single four-year term is meant to diagnose deep-seated problems and build strong institutional structures, while a second term is required to construct enduring progress upon that foundation.
Challenging the ‘Ribbon-Cutting’ Mentality
Kula criticized the prevailing political culture in Benue, where previous leadership often prioritized immediate public applause over long-term structural reforms.
“Politics in Benue is usually treated like a race for immediate applause instead of lasting legacies,” Kula said. “Real development takes time because a house is not built by painting the walls before laying the foundation—yet that was the situation in Benue before Governor Alia took office.”
He noted that Governor Alia inherited a state in severe crisis, characterized by systemic insecurity, backlogs of unpaid public obligations, weak public sector institutions, high youth unemployment, and a struggling economy.
Priority Areas and Community Impact
According to the administration, addressable governance requires patience, financial discipline, and policy consistency rather than temporary budget fixes. Kula emphasized that the first term should be measured by foundational metrics across key sectors:
- Infrastructure and Agriculture: Constructing reliable rural feeder roads to link agricultural centers—such as connecting farmers in Mbagwaza to markets in Ihugh, Lessel, and Adikpo, as well as opening safer trade routes between Agila, Igumale, Gbajimba, and Makurdi.
- Public Service and Finance: Improving transparency in public finances, guaranteeing regular salary payments for civil servants, and clearing pension backlogs.
- Social Infrastructure: Equipping healthcare centers in local communities like Obi and restoring functional classrooms in places like Vandeikya rather than abandoning projects mid-way.
- Security: Addressing rural agrarian security with sustained operational seriousness rather than media theatrics.
The Call for Political Continuity
Warning against the cycle of resetting government priorities every four years, Kula stated that changing direction prematurely forces each new administration to spend its first year rediscovering problems already understood by its predecessor.
“Benue cannot afford to keep starting afresh every four years because people are ambitious to prove a point that has no need to be proven,” he emphasized. “Continuity should mean giving credible policies enough time to mature while holding the government strictly accountable.”
The administration expressed confidence that the electorate recognizes the ongoing shift from negative growth to tangible progress, framing a potential second term in 2027 as the crucial window to complete ongoing projects and fully open the state’s economy to private investment.
