The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Benue State election, Prof. Sebastian Hon (SAN), has said his decision to contest the governorship was inspired by God, whom he believes has prepared him over the years to tackle the state’s economic and security challenges.
Hon made the declaration in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Gboko, where he outlined his vision for reviving the state’s economy and restoring security.
According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, his over 35 years at the Bar and 18 years as a SAN have equipped him with the experience needed to lead the state.
“I was asked by God to contest, and God knows why He asked me because He has been preparing me for more than 30 years,” he said.
Hon also claimed that the Holy Spirit guided him to join the SDP instead of other political parties, describing the party as stable and free from internal crises.
He said the party had revived memories of the era when it produced former Benue governor Moses Adasu and former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu, adding that it was attracting increasing support from grassroots voters who were dissatisfied with both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governorship hopeful described Benue as being in economic distress, attributing the situation to poverty, unemployment and poor governance.
To reverse the trend, he pledged to revitalise the state’s economy through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), attract local and foreign investors and adopt the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model to establish industries capable of creating jobs.
He also promised to subsidise agriculture, expand scholarship opportunities in critical fields, improve rural and urban infrastructure and implement policies aimed at reducing poverty across the state.
On the issue of insecurity, Hon said restoring peace and protecting lives and property would be a top priority if elected.
“I will confront insecurity head-on. I will use every legitimate means to defend our people, reclaim lost communities and ensure farmers return safely to their homes and farms,” he said.
