The Benue State Chapter of Social Democratic Party, SDP, has presented Dr. Stephen Terungwa Hwande as their flagbearer for the 2019 gubernatorial election.
State Chairman of the party, John Enemari made the presentation on Saturday, at the party’s secretariat in Makurdi.
Speaking during the official presentation, Enemari said the party was confident that they will win the 2019 governorship election with Hwande on the saddle.
He said the SDP was coming on board to provide quality leadership that will translate into visible developments in the state.
Enemari, who posited that the level of insecurity and poverty in Benue was heightened by poor managerial ability of the present leadership, promised that the state will witness huge turnarounds when SDP takes over.
The SDP chairman extolled the virtues and legacies of Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu, a one-time Benue Governor under SDP, and urged the people of Benue State not to sell their votes adding that the voters must be wise to ensure the victory of the SDP come 2019.
He also appealed to party supporters and members, particularly those who contested, (those who won and those who lost) to eschew bitterness, keep faith, stay with the party and work together towards achieving set target which is victory for the SDP come 2019.
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The party’s Zonal Vice Chairman for Zone A, Michael Kanyi stated that the SDP was already familiar with delivering dividends in government house beginning with Rev Dr Adasu time. “So, in 2019, we will just be retracing our steps back to where we belong,” he added.
The gubernatorial candidate, Stephen Hwande, in his declaration speech thanked party leaders and members for finding him worthy to fly the party flag to victory.
“I am humbled by the reconciliation of interest to collectively pursue a genuine cause to the benefit of all and I pledge to uphold the party manifesto which upholds unity, peace and progress as values for reconciliation,” he said.
Hwande said he was provoked by the stoking of experience of a failed system and its calamities and equally prompted to provide a workable and dynamic alternative that will deepen democratic governance in the state.
He said his four year recovery plan will be anchored on knowledge of the economy to pursue a five point agenda in areas of agriculture, education, industrialization, health care delivery system and youth empowerment scheme.
The SDP candidate urged the Benue public to support him in ushering in “a new direction, a new dimension, a new narrative of a paradigm shift” which he is bringing through the SDP “to restore, re-invigorate and transform Benue from a traditional to a modern state.”
