28/05/2026
My dear people of Benue,
I offer myself for service at a defining moment in the history of our state. Across our communities, our people are asking for leadership that understands their struggles, respects their sacrifices, and possesses the courage and vision to build a better future.
For too long, Benue has remained a land of enormous potential with limited opportunities. Our workers have labored without timely reward. Our farmers feed the nation but remain poor. Our young people possess talent but lack opportunities. Families struggle daily with insecurity, unemployment, poor roads, inadequate healthcare, and limited access to clean water.
Yet I believe deeply that Benue can rise beyond these challenges.I believe our state can become one of the leading economies in Nigeria through disciplined leadership, strategic investment, innovation, and people-centered governance. I believe the River Benue can become a major economic and tourism asset. I believe agriculture can create wealth beyond subsistence. I believe education, healthcare, infrastructure, and technology can transform the destiny of our people.
This manifesto is therefore not merely a political document. It is a practical roadmap for rebuilding Benue into a modern, peaceful, productive, and prosperous state.
1. EDUCATION AND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
The future of Benue depends on the quality of education we provide today.
My administration will introduce free education in all public secondary schools across Benue State. In addition, government shall fully sponsor WAEC and NECO registration fees for eligible students in public schools.
We will undertake a comprehensive reform of the education sector through:
Rehabilitation and modernization of public schools
Recruitment and continuous training of qualified teachers
Introduction of digital learning and ICT laboratories
Technical and vocational education programmes
Scholarship schemes for outstanding students
Improved learning materials and school facilities
Every child, regardless of economic background, deserves access to quality education and an opportunity to succeed.
2. HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY WELLBEING
The strength of a society is measured by how it cares for its people.
Under my administration, pregnant women shall receive free maternal healthcare from antenatal care to safe delivery in government-owned health facilities.
We shall:
Upgrade primary healthcare centres across all wards
Improve staffing and welfare for healthcare workers
Ensure regular supply of essential medicines
Expand rural healthcare outreach services
Strengthen emergency medical response systems
No mother should lose her life because she cannot afford medical care.
3. SECURITY, PEACE AND COMMUNITY STABILITY
Security remains the foundation upon which all development depends.
My government will pursue a comprehensive security strategy anchored on collaboration between security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders, and local stakeholders. We will:
Support security agencies with logistics and operational infrastructure
Deploy modern surveillance and communication technology
Strengthen community intelligence gathering systems
Expand youth employment and empowerment initiatives to reduce crime
Protect farming communities and rural settlements
Every Benue citizen deserves to live, work, and farm in peace and safety.
4. AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AND FOOD INDUSTRIALIZATION
Benue must move from being merely the “Food Basket of the Nation” to becoming a major agro-industrial economy.
To achieve this, my administration will procure a minimum of twenty tractors for each Local Government Area to support mechanized farming and increase agricultural productivity.
We shall also:
Establish agricultural service centres across the state
Provide subsidized inputs and improved seedlings
Support irrigation farming and all-season agriculture
Develop storage, processing, and packaging facilities
Create agro-industrial zones and commodity markets
Expand access to agricultural finance for farmers and cooperatives
Agriculture must become a source of wealth creation, industrial growth, and large-scale employment.
5. WORKERS’ WELFARE, PENSIONS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
A responsible government must honour its obligations to workers and retirees.
My administration will prioritize:
Prompt payment of salaries
Immediate implementation of promotions when due
Gradual clearance of pension and gratuity arrears
Restoration of confidence in the public service
Within the first 150 days of our administration, we shall commence a structured settlement of outstanding salary, pension, and gratuity obligations, drawing lessons from successful interventions undertaken in states such as Abia State, Niger State and Zamfara State.
Public servants must never be treated as abandoned citizens.
6. THE RIVER BENUE DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM MASTERPLAN
The River Benue is one of the greatest untapped economic assets in Nigeria.
From Katsina-Ala through Makurdi and adjoining river communities, my administration shall implement a long-term River Benue Development Masterplan aimed at transforming the river corridor into a major tourism, transportation, recreation, and investment destination.
The project will include:
Waterfront developments and leisure parks
River transport and cruise services
Hotels, conference centres, and recreational facilities
Cultural and entertainment villages
Fishery and aquatic business development
Commercial waterfront markets and hospitality investments
Around the world, rivers have transformed cities and economies:
The River Thames in London
The Dubai Marina in Dubai
The Nile tourism economy in Egypt
Waterfront developments in Cape Town
Benue possesses similar potential. Through strategic public-private partnerships, the River Benue can become a major source of internally generated revenue, tourism expansion, and youth employment.
7. WATER SUPPLY AND URBAN UTILITIES
Access to clean water is essential for public health and economic development.
My administration will launch an integrated urban water supply programme that will harness the River Benue for sustainable pipe-borne water distribution across Makurdi and other major towns. We shall:
Rehabilitate abandoned and damaged water facilities
Expand modern water treatment infrastructure
Connect homes directly to pipe-borne water systems
Introduce affordable monthly billing systems
Create employment opportunities in water management services
No modern state can grow without reliable water infrastructure.
8. INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN RENEWAL
Infrastructure development shall remain central to our economic agenda.
Our administration will prioritize:
Construction and rehabilitation of roads across all senatorial districts
Urban street construction and beautification projects
Modern drainage and erosion control systems
Rural access roads linking farming communities to markets
Expansion of street lighting in urban centres
We shall also reposition Benue Links through operational reforms and government-supported transport subsidies to make transportation safer, more affordable, and more efficient for ordinary citizens.
9. INDUSTRIALIZATION, ICT AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
The economy of the future will be driven by innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
My administration will establish:
ICT and innovation hubs
Youth digital skills programmes
Industrial and manufacturing clusters
Enterprise development centres
Partnerships with private investors and development agencies
We will support startups, technology businesses, and local industries capable of creating sustainable jobs and stimulating economic growth.
10. SPORTS, ARTS, CULTURE AND CREATIVE ENTERPRISE
Sports and culture are powerful tools for youth engagement, economic development, and social unity. We shall:
Upgrade sporting facilities across the state
Revive school sports competitions
Establish talent development programmes
Support athletes and sports academies
In addition, we will strengthen the cultural economy by promoting:
Annual cultural festivals
Creative arts and entertainment industries
Local crafts and cultural tourism
Preservation of Tiv, Idoma, and Igede heritage
Our culture is not only our identity; it is also an economic asset capable of generating revenue and global recognition.
11. SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND POVERTY REDUCTION
No government succeeds while its people remain trapped in poverty.
Our administration will implement targeted social investment programmes focused on:
Youth and women empowerment
Small business support schemes
Skills acquisition and vocational training
Rural poverty alleviation programmes
Support for vulnerable citizens, including the elderly and persons living with disabilities
Government must create opportunities that restore dignity and economic independence to the people.
A NEW BENUE IS POSSIBLE
My dear people,
This manifesto represents a practical and achievable vision for a modern Benue State — one built on accountability, compassion, innovation, and measurable progress.
We can build a Benue where:
workers are respected,
farmers prosper,
businesses grow,
roads are motorable,
hospitals function,
water flows,
young people find opportunities,
and every citizen can live with hope and dignity.
The task before us is great, but the possibilities before us are even greater.
Together, let us rise beyond division, beyond fear, and beyond failed promises.
Together, let us build a peaceful, productive, and prosperous Benue.
I am Dr Mathias Terwase Byuan, and I humbly seek your trust, your support, and your partnership in this journey towards a new Benue.
May God bless Benue State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.