The Benue State Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly has officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election. The endorsement was announced during a press briefing at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday.
This move makes the Benue APC Caucus the first legislative group in the 10th Assembly to formally declare support for President Tinubu's re-election bid, three years ahead of the next general elections.
Senator Titus Zam (Benue North-West), speaking on behalf of the group, stated that the decision was based on what they described as Tinubu's "transformative leadership" and the numerous federal interventions in Benue State since he assumed office in May 2023.
The announcement was made with Senator Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East) and ten APC members of the House of Representatives from Benue State in attendance.
Federal Projects in Benue State
The lawmakers highlighted several infrastructure projects attributed to the Tinubu administration, including:
- The 465-kilometre Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Superhighway
- Reconstruction of the Makurdi–Aliade–Otukpo–Enugu Road
- Dualization of the 9th Mile–Otukpo–Makurdi Road
- The ₦83.8 billion Buruku Bridge across the Katsina-Ala River
- Rehabilitation of the Oju–Cross River federal road
- Construction of a flyover at Wurukum Roundabout in Makurdi
In the education and health sectors, the caucus pointed to improved funding for the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), and its teaching hospital. They also mentioned the establishment of an Infectious Disease Control Centre in Vandeikya and a Federal College of Agricultural Technology in Opialu Ojapo as significant achievements under Tinubu's administration.
Housing and Financial Support
The lawmakers highlighted housing initiatives, including the construction of 250 housing units under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and the approval of 1,000 more units under the Pulaku Resettlement Initiative.
They also noted that the Federal Government has disbursed ₦44 billion to Benue State, comprising ₦5 billion in post-subsidy removal funds, ₦9 billion in infrastructure support, and ₦30 billion under the Subnational Intervention Fund.
Security Concerns
On security matters, the Caucus commended President Tinubu's efforts but urged the Benue State Government to strengthen collaboration with federal security agencies. They called for enhanced intelligence gathering and community engagement to address the persistent insecurity in parts of the state.
"As representatives of the people, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting President Tinubu and the nation's security forces in their efforts to restore peace and stability in Benue State," Senator Zam stated.
The lawmakers pledged to use their legislative powers to advocate for further interventions and to support displaced farmers and communities affected by violence across the state.
This endorsement comes amid reports of potential opposition coalitions forming ahead of the 2027 elections, with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai recently suggesting that a coalition would remove Tinubu from office in the next election cycle.
