Founder of House of Joy Ministries, Bishop Sam Zuga has said that if given the opportunity 
to govern Benue State, he will not collect any salary. He spoke to our correspondent at the Sam Zuga City in Gboko recently. Among others, Zuga who is contesting on the platform of the Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC) said he is into the governorship race in Benue to improve the living condition of the people of the state.
Why are you in the race to govern Benue State come 2019?
A group of people came on the altar some weeks ago telling me that I should join their political party and that they looked at what is happening in Benue and discovered that if I’m elected, things will get better.
I gave them conditions that I would ask God about it. Prayers were made and a decision was taken. Thereafter, the party conducted primary election and I was unanimously endorsed. I know that leadership is all about providing solutions to problems. Leadership is what I’m born for, living for and I am going to die for. So, my going into the race is like adding maggi into the soup.
I am going as a servant and not as a contractor. I will not collect salary if given opportunity to govern Benue. I will serve for four years with no salary and my belly will not increase.
What are you going to do differently from what the incumbent government has done to develop the state?
The present government in Benue has done the best it can but their best is not good enough. I appreciate their effort but leadership is like relay race. That is why I am taking permission to take the state to another level of development.
People-oriented programmes is what government can do to enhance the well being of the people. If I step in as governor, I will start my work from the rural areas and then to the city. I want to start development from the rural areas. In four years, I will leave Benue indigenes enough money to sustain them.
What I have in me is enough to take care of me. I will make sure every individual is empowered to do what he knows to do best so that people will be financially independent and self-sustaining. Sadly, in Nigeria, government has made people to be dependent.
How would you tackle insecurity if elected?
I will employ internal strategy to tackle internal security in the state. Every adult should learn to secure his environment. Benue is a state with a governor and so has the ability of securing the people with little external help. I don’t blame the Federal Government for whatever is happening in Benue. We should learn to harness internal solution to our problems.
But that said, I think the cheapest way to tackle insecurity in the state is by pursuing peace. The cost and consequences of war are higher than the cost for peace. Therefore, if I am elected governor, I will pursue peace so that throughout my stay in the office, there won’t be crisis in the state. Hence, the need for us to do everything to ensure peace. It’s better to look for peace so that there would be no crisis than to seek solution after crisis. I will also ensure peace in the boarders of Benue.
How would you rate the anti open grazing law in curbing the incessant killings by herdsmen in the state?
Killings increased after the law, that is to say that the law is not a solution to the problem. So, there is need to seek other ways to find solution to the killings.
What would you be putting on the table for the Benue people?
If the Benue people will allow me, I will give them the best for their state. I am going as a servant and not as a contractor. I will serve for four years with no salary and my belly will not become protruded. The old order is to use money to fund campaigns. You don’t use money on what will not give you returns. That is why people run for elective offices by getting money through whatever means and they must recoup these monies as soon as they get into office. Don’t let it look like the politicians must buy their seat because if they do, they will want to make profit from it. That is why most times, we can’t hold our politicians accountable. Let somebody be voted because of what he has to offer and not how much he has to offer. If you want to change a product, you must change the process.