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Deputy Governor of Benue, Samuel Ode, has said the state will mobilise its political machinery to secure one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Ode spoke on Thursday in Makurdi, the state capital, while leading journalists and government officials on an inspection tour of federal and state government projects.
He said he would work with the state executive council and residents to fulfil the one-million-vote target announced by Hyacinth Alia, the governor.
Ode said the governor had publicly pledged that Benue would deliver one million votes to Tinubu, adding that his responsibility was to mobilise the people and government officials to achieve the target.
“We already have a pronouncement by the governor of Benue State, his excellency Father Alia. He made the pronouncement that Benue will deliver one million votes for Mr President,” Ode said.
“I think my responsibility as the deputy governor is to make sure I mobilise the executive council and the people of Benue State in large numbers to actualise that promise that has been made by the governor.”
In 2023, Tinubu won Benue with 310,468 votes, narrowly defeating Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who polled 308,372 votes. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third with 130,081 votes.
The state had 2,777,727 registered voters at the time.
Ode, a former minister of state for Niger Delta affairs, also commended the government for its development projects in Benue.
He said the state government under Alia established the Food Basket Brewery as part of efforts to support the federal government’s broader development agenda.
According to Ode, the brewery was established to meet demand in Benue, a major market for beverages, and revive the state’s long-standing brewing industry.
He noted that Benue Brewery Nigeria Limited was originally established by Aper Aku, the state’s first civilian governor, but had remained inactive for more than three decades before Alia revived the project.
Ode said the brewery now produces Zeva beer and Zeva malt.
“On assumption of office, the governor did a groundbreaking for this brewery, and that was in response to the need of the state because Benue is a very large market for beverages,” Ode said.
“We have the Benue Brewery Nigeria Limited, which was established by the first civilian governor of Benue state, Aper Aku. Today, after over 30 years, Benue governor, father Alia, has put together this particular brewery, which is producing the Zeva brand of beer and the Zeva malt.”
The deputy governor also praised the government’s intervention in the construction of the Buruku Bridge in Buruku Local Government Area, describing the project as a major boost for the state.
He said the bridge would address the frequent loss of lives and property associated with crossings on the river and improve connectivity between the North-Central and North-East regions through Benue and Taraba states.
Ode said the bridge was particularly significant because several boat accidents had occurred in the area over the years.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, who led the presidential media team on the inspection tour, said the projects demonstrated how federal resources were being deployed to develop infrastructure across the state.
Onanuga said the projects would improve connectivity, open up previously neglected communities and support economic activity.
He added that the Buruku Bridge would reduce travel time between communities, particularly those in rural areas and Makurdi, the state capital.
