HOW A HEMBE GOVERNMENT CAN RESCUE, RESTORE AND REBUILD BENUE STATE Why Benue Needs Leadership That Turns Promises into Results - Part 1 By Hon. King David Oryiman Mson Benue State is blessed with fertile land, hardworking people, abundant natural resources and a population full of talent and potential. From the yam farmers of Konshisha and Vandeikya to the traders in Makurdi, the business owners in Gboko, the civil servants in Otukpo and the young people struggling to build a future across our 23 local government areas, the people of Benue have every reason to expect a better life. Yet, for many families, daily life has become a struggle. Farmers worry about their safety. Parents worry about school fees. Young graduates search endlessly for jobs. Small business owners battle rising costs, while families affected by insecurity continue to live with the pain of losing their homes, farms and loved ones. The question is no longer whether Benue has the potential to develop. We know it does. The real question is: Who can turn that potential into security, opportunity, prosperity and a better quality of life for ordinary people? As the 2027 governorship election approaches, Rt. Hon. Barr. Herman Iorwase Hembe, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, is presenting himself as an alternative for people who want a government that puts their welfare first. His proposed priorities include security, local government autonomy, transparency, agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure and economic development. These are important areas in which his administration would need to deliver measurable results if elected. Here is how a Hembe government could address some of Benue's most pressing challenges. 1. Restoring Peace and Security: No Development Without Safety The first responsibility of any responsible government is to protect human life. For a state known as the Food Basket of the Nation, it is heartbreaking that insecurity has forced many farming families away from their ancestral homes and farmlands. Displacement does not only destroy houses; it destroys livelihoods, interrupts children's education, separates families and weakens the local economy. An assessment by the International Organization for Migration in 2025 documented serious economic hardship among displaced households in Benue, including dependence on humanitarian assistance and difficulties accessing education and livelihoods. Hembe has publicly pledged to make security a priority, protect communities and help restore the rights of people to live on and cultivate their land. A Hembe government should translate that commitment into a practical security programme built around the following actions: - Strengthen coordination among security agencies and ensure that credible intelligence from vulnerable communities reaches the appropriate authorities quickly. - Improve communication, early-warning systems and emergency responses in communities facing recurring attacks. - Support lawful, community-based intelligence gathering while protecting residents from harassment and unlawful retaliation. - Work with federal security agencies and neighbouring states to address the movement of armed groups and other threats. - Strengthen the implementation of applicable laws protecting lives, property and lawful land use. - Develop a transparent plan for the safe return and resettlement of displaced families, including support for rebuilding homes and restoring farms. The objective should be simple: farmers must be able to return to their farms, traders must be able to travel safely, and children must be able to attend school without fear. Nobody should be forced to abandon their ancestral home because government cannot protect them. Hembe's security agenda must be judged by safer communities, fewer attacks, restored livelihoods and displaced families who can finally return home—not merely by speeches or security meetings.