What places PDP’s Uba ahead of APC, LP candidates – Ortom’s aide, Akase

Ahead of the Saturday governorship and state assembly elections, Terver Akase, Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has declared that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Titus Uba is best for the state’s top job.

Akase, who made the declaration while speaking with newsmen at the weekend, said Uba’s experience as Speaker of the state assembly, placed him ahead of other candidates vying for the governorship seat.

According to reports, there are three forces battling to succeed governor Ortom who would be completing his second term in May 2023.

Aside Uba, a suspended Roman Catholic priest, Fr Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress, and the Labour Party candidate, Herman Hembe are all in the race to succeed Ortom on March 18.

Projecting Uba ahead of the two other contenders, Akase said “the PDP candidate knows the workings of the government, ‘he will not come to the government and begin to ask very simple questions. He has been part of the government so he is the right person at this moment.

“He has the right temperament expected of a leader, he is humble and not arrogant. He listens to people, he is a team player”.

Asked if the PDP candidate would continue with the legacy of Ortom’s administration, Akase told newsmen that “Uba is going to continue with the legacy of Governor Ortom. A lot of foundations have been laid in different sectors, including security and agriculture. Uba is going to build on those blocks because the government is supposed to continue not to destroy the legacy of the previous administration.

“Most of the decisions that have been made by the state government for the past six years, Uba has been part of it. Becoming the speaker in 2018 placed him on the table where decisions are made.

“The Assembly under him had made several important laws to change lives in Benue in many sectors. Look at the law of pension now, money is being saved to enable us access funds from the pension commission to be able to offset the backlog of pensions and gratuity.

“Uba is talking about mechanized agriculture. He is talking about developing mega farms in Benue State.

“But you cannot have development in a state where there is no security, that is why he is talking about the two pillars of the blueprint, you have the security on one hand and agriculture on the other hand. When you provide security, then the economy will get a boost.

“Already, we are seeing investors beginning to come here, we have a giant factory along Gboko road in Makurdi and that shows you what Uba stands to achieve as governor of the state if elected.”

Apparently referring to the candidate of the APC, Fr Alia, Akase told newsmen that the people of the state would not afford to make the mistake of electing inexperienced leaders.

“Benue will not make that mistake of allowing a novice to come and take over power here because the people cannot have the patience to wait for you to understudy for a year or two before you begin to even know what to do.

“Uba recently talked about establishing a Benue Youths Commission with zonal offices in the three senatorial zones while the headquarters will be in Makurdi.

“The move is to tap the raw talents of Benue people whether in entrepreneurship or entertainment”, he added.