In a bold move that has boosted the Senatorial ambition of the immediate past commissioner of Finance in Benue State, Dr David Olofu, formidable sections of the people of Apa Local Government Area have vowed to assiduously work for the realisation of his senatorial quest.
The people vowed to take ownership of Dr Olofu’s Senatorial ambition last Tuesday, 30th December at the Local Government Headquarters, Ugboko during a critical stakeholders parley that cut across all political parties including those holding political appointments present and past, all former council Chairmen, councillors, supervisory councillors amongst others.
Speaking during the meeting, the Senatorial hopeful, Dr David Olofu explained to the people that he was in the race with the mind to galvanising the infrastructural development of the entire Benue South Senatorial District by extricating it from the clutches of poverty and underdevelopment while providing purposeful leadership for the people of the district.
He said when given the opportunity to serve as a Senator, he would plough back the people into his leadership structures by establishing his long advocated Benue South People’s Assembly (BSPA) and Benue South Senatorial Council (BSSC) which would be made of all elected persons, traditional rulers, experienced technocrats etc to study and determine the development needs of the senatorial district local government by local government apart from constituting them as developmental lobby groups.
He assured that with his experience in government as former chairman, forum of Commissioners of Finance in Nigeria, he would ensure that development streams to the entire gamut of Benue South without discrimination.
He stated further that his ambition was also premised on equity, fairness and justice as nobody from Apa/Agatu Federal constituency has been privileged to occupy the Senatorial seat of the Benue South since the inception of the democratic experiment in Nigeria.
He therefore called on all sons and daughters of ApaLocal Government Area to view his aspiration as their own by working for the realisation of his senatorial quest persuasively and with vigour and commitment.
In his reaction, Sam Ameh who spoke on behalf of the people of Zone A of the local government area described Dr Olofu as their own saying “it is incumbent on all of us – Apa sons and daughters to support the aspiration of Dr Olofu. And, that is what we are going to do. We will also support him by going to campaign for him in the other local government areas of Benue South Senatorial District to enable us achieve our goal”.
“I therefore Pray to God to lead him to victory. I invite God to lead the project. We Promised that we will all work for the victory”, he enthused.
On his part, Alade Magaji who spoke on behalf of Zone B declared, “We are happy with the declaration of the aspirant. We shall give him our solid support to enable him win the election”.
Also Speaking, Hon John Ekwo representing Zone C expressed happiness with the declaration of Dr Olofu saying that “before now, we never thought of anybody from Apa gunning for the Senatorial seat. Today, Olofu has done it for us. We will support him to win. This battle is our battle”.
Similarly, Antenyi Antenyi Representing Former Councillors in Apa Local Government Council said “We are solidly behind Dr Olofu. We have taken the battle and vowed to support you. We shall be conscientising our colleagues in the nine local government areas in Benue South Senatorial District to help us actualize our ambition”.
In the same vein, Dr Dennis Abutu who spoke on behalf of former members of the Benue State House of Assembly, described Dr Olofu as a leader that would lead well to the glory of God and humanity as has been demonstrated so far.
While assuring that all Apa sons and daughters will support Dr Olofu to win the election, Abutu was full of gratitude to Dr Olofu for providing purposeful leadership in Benue South stressing that Olofu’s Senatorial quest cuts across parties which would be supported by all Apa sons and daughters.
“This is not a party matter. When the time comes, we will all support him across party line. Everyone of us from Apa will support him to win the election irrespective of party affiliation. He is our own and we must take ownership of him”, he asserted.
Also speaking, Honourable Esther Robert who spoke for the women of Apa Local Government Area said “we have gotten our own. Now that we have gotten our own, it is therefore incumbent on us to take ownership of him and work for the actualization of his senatorial quest.
We will work for his victory without reservation by persuading our children, husbands, parents and friends to vote for him. His victory is our victory”, she said.
Similarly, Abuh Echo who spoke on behalf of Former council Chairmen of Apa Local Government Council described Dr David Olofu as “Ochagwu k’Apa and a born King. God brought David Olofu to us to salvage us from the doldrums of backwardness. In the past we were backwards until God brought him to us.
In their speeches, former Special Aides to Governors of Benue State declared that they were delighted with political emergence of Dr Olofu stressing that his coming has wiped their tears as in the past, Apa was perceived as having nobody.
“We will ensure that all Apa votes are funnelled to him when the election comes. We have heard some people boasting about money but we assure you that their money can not buy us. They will be disappointed at the end of the day that money alone does not win election. This is our project and we will execute it comprehensively”, they assured.
Also, Isima Samson who represented the Youth
described Dr Olofu as a child of neccecity and a man with good heart, a man with capacity, adequate qualifications, and man tested and who could be trusted with power and therefore “We shall support him solidly to achieve victory”.
On behalf of Apa students, Vincent Odebugu who thanked Dr Olofu for his scholarship to students of Benue South Senatorial District said students from Benue South Senatorial District would not forsake in his quest to becoming a Senator.
” We are optimistic that when you gets to the Senate, you will do more for us – the students. We will sensitise students of Benue South Senatorial District to support and vote for you in the forthcoming election”, he assured.
The students used the occasion and garlanded Dr Olofu with a merit award for “Students Empowerment”.
In his votes of thanks, former member, Benue State House of Assembly, Honourable Henry Baba Otache who thanked the people for coming said in the past, “they mocked us that we don’t have people in Apa Local Government Area, but tell me, is there any forest with leopard that can be depicted as having no wild animals? To the glory of God, we now have Dr David Olofu in the saddle”
“We worked for people from other local government areas in the past, now that it is our turn and our son is contesting, we will ensure that we support him to win. We are also appealing to our brothers and sisters from the remaining eight local government areas to help us in actualising this project in the spirit of equity, fairness and social justice”, Otache asserted.
