A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State, Mr. John Tondu, has unfolded his plans to bring lasting peace, good governance and development to the state if elected governor in 2019.
Tondo, a former Commissioner for Lands and Survey in Benue State, spoke with newsmen in Makurdi, after he picked his nomination form saying only four years would be enough for him to implement his blueprint and leave lasting legacies.
Tondu who said that Benue people were tired of bad governance stated that people had become wiser and would ensure only credible people would be voted.
Speaking about his genuine intention to develop the state, Tondu said it was his belief that even delegates who would be participating in primaries particularly of the PDP would not go for the size of the pocket.
“The people have confidence in me. I have interacted with people both at the local level and party level and I discover that they are tired of bad governance, so they will go for a credible candidate rather than a bad one with big pocket,” he added.
He stated that if eventually he was made candidate of the PDP and subsequently elected governor of Benue State, he would start by implementing the Anti Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 with a different approach.
“You cannot run governance with emotion. If you do, you will put your people in trouble. As a governor you have a mandate to care for your people and you have sworn an oath to protect their love and property, so every programme and policy should be able to protect them,” he said.
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He acknowledged ranching as the solution to herders killings in the state but said “I am not going to repeal the law. It is there already but my approach to implementation will be different,” he said.
Tondu also said if voted as governor come 2019, he would invest N10 billion in a construction company which will be used to establish and purchase state of the art equipment, for road construction and to execute other projects through direct labour.
According to him, the company would also be used to execute contract outside the state to bring in revenue to state government as well as minimise the cost of executing projects therefore assisting the state to tackle the challenge of salary payment.
“The common area people look at as development is infrastructure. If you address infrastructure, you have addressed the issue of security. Security operatives will have easy access to places experiencing security challenge. Reinforcement can also be easily done if there is attack,” he said.
He also recalled with regret that Benue, the food basket of the nation, is yet to put in place a model to improve agriculture to become part of the strong economies like some other states of the federation.
“As a government, I will set aside N2 bilion and use it to procure equipment to engage in mechanized agriculture,” he added, “to enable the state live her name.”
The governorship hopeful who is optimistic of victory at the polls said his ambition was not a do or die affair.
He promised that if there was a free and fair process and delegates were not tempered with, he would win.
He added that if, however, another person is voted for, he would give his support in the interest of the state.
