From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Benue State, Herman Hembe, has assured that if elected, he would ensure the speedy development of the state.

Hembe who stated this during a Mega Rally organized by the Party at the weekend posited that there is no one person that has gone to the National Assembly that would say he has done better than what he had done.

“People call me all sorts of names, but you will never hear them say I have not performed. Those of you who are young have more pity for others than this older ones who will chop and go, they will chop and keep for their children. They don’t care whether anybody is dying. Those who are younger have more pity and those who vote.

“Donald Duke former Governor of Cross River state was very young when he became the governor, and he has been able to develop the state.

The three-time House of Representatives member who promised that there shall be no godfatherism during his time as Governor, took a swipe at the leaders of both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, saying they are only looking for governors they can control.

“They say they cannot vote Hembe in those big parties because he cannot be controlled. The question now is why do you want to control the governor?

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“They create a crisis and deceive us and go ahead and steal our money, while you are chasing shadows.

“Today, the same people who are shouting Fulani are the same people who voted Fulani as their party candidate, no question, no questions.”

He vowed that if elected to govern the state, he would ensure that no part of Benue land would be ceded to anyone under any circumstance, adding that despite the invasion and attacks, he would ensure that Benue enjoys developmental projects.

“I and all of us on this stage today, are very opposed to anybody or person invading our land, we will not cede an inch of this land to anybody.

“Where there is war there is development. In Borno state, the governor there has been fighting Boko Haram for the last 6 years, yet Borno State is building schools, building bridges and all. Our case cannot be different. Our pensioners cannot be different. Our pensioners cannot continue to go hungry and die every day after serving the state meritoriously.

“Labour Party that you see today is the party of the ordinary people. It is the party of the pensioners, the party of the civil servants, and party of the market women and traders. The party that takes pity on the ordinary people, the party that will bring you out of the situation where you are today.

“If we are in government, the issue of salary payment, will not be an issue again because I cannot go and touch somebody’s money and eat and claim I am a big man. My father lived and died as a teacher in this state, they say teachers’ reward is in heaven. We want to bring that reward to them here, we will not deceive you,” Hembe said.

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