ADC's Olofu unveils 12-point agenda for Benue South ahead of 2027

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for Benue South, Dr David Adejo Abraham Olofu, has set out a 12-point plan he says he will pursue in the Senate if elected in 2027.

He presented the agenda at the weekend in Oju Local Government Area, at the flag-off of the ADC's zonal campaign in Benue State. The district covers nine local government areas.

Olofu, a former Benue Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, said the 2027 election is a chance to "redefine political representation" and speed up development across the district.

What he is promising

The plan is built around what he calls People, Power, Prosperity and Progress. Its priorities include education, healthcare, agriculture, small business support, digital skills, roads, local government autonomy, security and fair sharing of resources.

On education, he promised to push Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) teaching, science laboratories at local government headquarters, public libraries and more scholarships and bursaries.

On health, he pledged to help rehabilitate primary healthcare centres, improve staffing and expand health insurance for poor households.

For farmers, he proposed a special agricultural zone along the River Benue, with produce collection centres, storage receipts, guaranteed buyers and processing clusters, to move farmers from subsistence farming towards commercial agriculture.

On security, he said he would seek stronger laws and closer work between security agencies, traditional rulers and lawful vigilante groups. "Security is the foundation of all development," he said.

He also promised ICT hubs and digital skills centres for young people, and support for small businesses to reach wider markets.

His record, as he tells it

Olofu pointed to three programmes he says he has funded for constituents. Under the Apa Legacy Sustainability Initiative, he said more than 300 students get ₦100,000 each year, with ₦30 million committed over three years since 2024.

He said he gave ₦10 million to St Helen's Specialist Hospital, Otukpo, in November 2025 to pay the medical bills of pregnant women from Benue South, regardless of religion, politics or ethnicity.

Through his Wealth and Empowerment in Benue South scheme, he said beneficiaries received grants of ₦200,000 each, with ₦10 million set aside yearly for five years, mainly for widows and small traders. He also said more than 200 constituents were helped with credit to buy 50 units each of Dangote Refinery shares.

He said his time as commissioner from 2015 to 2023, and as Senior Technical Adviser on Fiscal Policy to the Nigeria Governors' Forum, would help him attract projects and make sure approved plans are carried out.

He also plans two non-partisan bodies: the Benue South Peoples Assembly, to gather community needs and monitor projects, and the Benue South People's Council, made up of traditional rulers, professionals, women, youths and religious groups.

"Representation is service, not ownership," he said, promising regular reports to constituents on his legislative work and budget spending.

Campaign Advisory Council chairman John Ngbede praised the turnout and backed Olofu's experience. ADC state chairman Chief Samson Okwu said the crowd showed the party's growing strength in the district.

The party's governorship candidate in Benue, Hon Heman Hembe, urged voters to reject the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing its government of causing hardship and criticising Governor Hyacinth Alia over development in the state.

Campaign director-general Chief Chris Adaba Abah, who hails from Enone Federal Constituency, also argued that one part of the district has held the Senate seat for more than three decades, and called for other areas to be given a chance.

What happens next: The Senate seat will be decided in the 2027 general elections.