The African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for the Benue South senatorial district, Dr David Olofu, on Monday vowed not to pocket the mandate given him by his constituents but to work assiduously to ensure even distribution of the dividends of democracy in the entire senatorial area.
Speaking when he visited the correspondents’ chapel office in Makurdi to intimate them about his senatorial ambition, Dr Olofu, a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, told journalists that if given the mandate, he would provide inclusive and people-oriented representation if elected in next year’s general elections.
He noted that the era when elected representatives secured the mandate of the people and abandoned their constituents was indeed over, stressing that his representation would usher in a new dawn in Benue South.
The ADC candidate, who promised to lobby the executive arm of government and relevant authorities whenever an issue fell outside his legislative jurisdiction to attract development, also promised to restore the lost glory of Benue South through targeted interventions in education, infrastructure, healthcare, youth and women empowerment, and community development.
Olofu said he would establish what he called the Benue South Assembly and Benue South Council to provide guidance and direction in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes with direct impact on the people.
He said the initiative would ensure that his representation remained inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people across the nine local government areas.
He highlighted some interventions he had undertaken in Benue South before declaring his political ambition, saying 200 indigenes of the senatorial district, with beneficiaries drawn from Apa, Otukpo, Ohimini, Ado, Okpokwu, Agatu, Ogbadibo, Oju and Obi local government areas, had benefited equally from the first batch of his scholarship scheme.
He added that another 100 indigenes were scheduled to benefit from the second phase of the scholarship programme.
The former commissioner further disclosed that 100 rural women had been selected and empowered across the nine local government areas with N200,000 each.
He said the initiative was designed to help cushion the economic hardship faced by rural women, adding that another 50 women would be selected and empowered with N200,000 each annually going forward.
Olofu also announced that he had established a N10 million medical grant domiciled at St. Helen’s Hospital to provide free treatment and medical care for pregnant women from Benue South.
He said the initiative was aimed at reducing the financial burden of healthcare and hospital bills on expectant mothers in the district.
He appealed to the people to support his candidacy in the forthcoming election.
