. ADC senatorial candidate chides govt for neglecting masses
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and George Okoh in Makurdi
Political management consultant and Executive Director of Compassionate Heart Foundation of Canada, Joe Korka-Waadah, has challenged critics of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to stop dwelling on his reference to his late mother and instead address the economic hardship and policy failures in the country he (Amaechi) raised.
Korka-Waadah said Amaechi’s intervention should be viewed as a courageous attempt to draw attention to the difficulties confronting millions of Nigerians under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“Leave Rotimi Amaechi alone. He is the messenger, and listen to the message of the hour that he has delivered,” he said.
He described as unfortunate the tendency of Nigerians to prefer leaders who tell them what they want to hear, rather than those prepared to speak uncomfortable truths.
“It is absolutely unfortunate that most Nigerians would prefer to have a leader who would speak or relate to them based on what they intend to hear. Truth and honesty are being frowned upon,” Korka-Waadah said.
According to him, Amaechi’s record of confronting powerful interests, including military authorities during his years as a student activist, demonstrated his willingness to speak without fear.
“That is what you won’t get from an activist turned politician; one who has confronted the powers that be, be it military or civilian, without fear for his life, even from his teenage years as a university student leader,” he said.
Korka-Waadah questioned why Amaechi should be criticised for speaking out about the hardship facing Nigerians, particularly given his history of challenging those in power.
“If he was able to stand up to the military junta when such stands weren’t popular, why would he not express the wishes of millions of Nigerians who are dying daily under the weight of economic strangulation informed by the defective leadership of President Ahmed Tinubu?” he asked.
He argued that the controversy over Amaechi’s reference to his mother should not distract attention from the substance of his remarks or the broader economic challenges facing Nigerians.
“Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a courageous leader who will say it as it is, with the intention that the administration will look into the issues he advanced instead of being attacked. In developed societies, such a man is highly priced and respected,” he said.
Korka-Waadah maintained that Amaechi’s message was resonating with Nigerians struggling with poverty and rising economic pressures, urging the government and its supporters to engage the issues raised rather than personalise the debate.
“The message he gave is resonating with most Nigerians whose poverty was forced on them through the insensitive policies of the Tinubu regime.
“Nigerians are suffering, but our leaders are afraid to point out the ills of the current administration for fear of losing their source of earning their daily meals.
“Honestly, it shouldn’t be that way. Truth must be told about the wrong direction this administration is heading,” the consultant said.
He, therefore, urged the Tinubu administration to focus on the substance of Amaechi’s intervention and address the concerns being raised by Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for Benue South, Dr. David Olofu, has pledged to provide inclusive and people-oriented representation if elected to the Senate in the 2027 elections.
Olofu, a former Commissioner for Finance in Benue State, said he would not “pocket” the mandate of the people for personal gain, but would ensure that the dividends of democracy reach communities across the nine local government areas of the senatorial district.
He pledged on Tuesday while addressing members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, on his senatorial ambition.
The former finance commissioner said the era when elected representatives secured the mandate of the people and abandoned their constituents, sometimes staying abroad without tangible achievements at home, should end.
According to him, his representation would usher in a “new dawn” anchored on the needs and aspirations of the people of Benue South.
Olofu said his close relationship with the constituents and knowledge of the challenges confronting the district placed him in a strong position to provide practical and sustainable solutions if elected.
He promised to restore the lost glory of Benue South through targeted interventions in education, infrastructure, healthcare, youth and women empowerment, and community development.
The ADC candidate also pledged to engage the executive arm of government whenever an issue falls outside his legislative jurisdiction, saying he would lobby relevant authorities to attract development to the senatorial district and Benue State.
On his proposed leadership structure, Olofu said he would establish what he described as the Benue South Assembly and Benue South Council to provide guidance and direction in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes with direct impact on the people.
He said the initiative would ensure that his representation remains inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people across the nine local government areas.
Olofu also highlighted some interventions he had undertaken in Benue South before declaring his political ambition.
He said 200 indigenes of the senatorial district, with beneficiaries drawn from Apa, Otukpo, Ohimini, Ado, Okpokwu, Agatu, Ogbadibo, Oju and Obi Local Government Areas, had benefited equally from the first batch of his scholarship scheme.
He added that another 100 indigenes were scheduled to benefit from the second phase of the scholarship programme.
The former commissioner further disclosed that 100 rural women had been selected and empowered across the nine local government areas with N200,000 each.
He said the initiative was designed to help cushion the economic hardship faced by rural women, adding that another 50 women would be selected and empowered with N200,000 each annually going forward.
Olofu also announced that he had established a N10 million medical grant domiciled at St. Helen’s Hospital to provide free treatment and medical care for pregnant women from Benue South.
He said the initiative was aimed at reducing the financial burden of healthcare and hospital bills on expectant mothers in the district.
The ADC senatorial candidate appealed to the people of Benue South to support his candidacy in the 2027 election, promising to deploy the mandate towards restoring the district’s development and ensuring that the government representation directly benefits the people.