2027: Andrew Agbo Abu and the youth renaissance of Otukpo–Ohimini

By Chief Edwin Achukwu

At a time when youth unemployment, rural poverty, and social dislocation continue to challenge communities across Nigeria, the youths of Otukpo–Ohimini are rallying behind a candidate whose life’s work has consistently centered on empowerment, innovation, and inclusive development — Andrew Agbo Abu.

Unlike many aspirants whose political journeys begin at the campaign podium, Andrew’s path to public service was shaped long before now — through institution-building, policy engagement, youth mentorship, and community development initiatives that have delivered tangible outcomes across Nigeria’s innovation, agriculture, and governance ecosystems.

As Founder of Young Innovators of Nigeria, Andrew has created national platforms connecting young Nigerians to policymakers, regulators, investors, and industry leaders. Through summits, innovation dialogues, and policy engagement forums, he has ensured that youth voices are not peripheral but central to national conversations on technology, governance, energy, and economic reform. These platforms have opened doors for thousands of young people to gain exposure, mentorship, and career pathways — including many from Benue State.

Andrew’s work in agriculture further reflects his practical understanding of youth empowerment. Through his involvement with Agromate Innovative Food Technologies Limited Farms, operating year-round cassava and maize production supported by irrigation infrastructure in the Benue Valley, he has demonstrated how agriculture can evolve from subsistence survival into structured enterprise. His model emphasizes mechanization, irrigation-backed dry-season farming, processing, and market access — converting rural youth engagement into scalable income and sustainable livelihoods.

For Otukpo–Ohimini — one of Benue State’s richest agricultural belts — Andrew’s development blueprint includes youth agribusiness clusters, cooperative financing models, processing hubs, irrigation expansion, and market-linked value chains that move farming beyond raw production into agro-industrial wealth creation.

Beyond agriculture, Andrew is a strong advocate for the creative economy and sports as engines of unity, job creation, and social stability. His policy work and campaign agenda position music, fashion, film, arts, football, and digital content creation as legitimate economic sectors deserving institutional support. He envisions creative hubs, digital media labs, sports academies, and structured talent pipelines that enable Otukpo–Ohimini youths to monetize their skills locally while competing globally.

Andrew’s technology credentials are equally compelling. As a digitalization consultant and technology policy advocate, he has worked closely with national institutions, regulators, and innovation leaders to expand digital infrastructure, promote skills development, and drive technology adoption. He has organized major national dialogues on artificial intelligence, energy transition, governance, and digital transformation — linking grassroots innovators to national policy and investment frameworks.

This experience informs his vision for Otukpo–Ohimini: digital skills pipelines, startup incubation hubs, remote work centres, broadband advocacy, and youth access to federal innovation funding programs — ensuring that geography no longer limits opportunity.

Andrew’s governance philosophy is rooted in family-centered development, a principle he advances through the OT’ OLE BI Movement, which champions issue-based leadership, rural transformation, and social investment across the Idoma Nation. His approach integrates youth empowerment with healthcare access, education reform, poverty alleviation, and community security — recognizing that sustainable development begins at the household level.

If elected to the House of Representatives, Andrew’s legislative priorities include youth enterprise financing frameworks, agribusiness commercialization support, digital economy inclusion policies, sports and creative industry development legislation, education reintegration programs for out-of-school children, and strengthened primary healthcare systems. He is also committed to establishing constituency offices that function as opportunity hubs — connecting young people directly to training programs, grants, investors, and national initiatives.

Andrew’s ability to navigate institutions distinguishes him further. His experience engaging bodies such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), energy regulators, development partners, and private investors positions him to unlock federal programs, attract partnerships, and convert policy into projects for his constituency.

Above all, Andrew Agbo Abu represents a leadership model built on competence, capacity, character, and courage. He is neither a transactional politician nor a product of patronage networks. He is a system builder, community advocate, and bridge between grassroots realities and national opportunity structures.

For the teaming youths of Otukpo–Ohimini, Andrew’s candidacy is not merely about electoral victory — it is about restoring confidence in leadership, unlocking pathways to dignity, and proving that governance can once again be about solutions rather than slogans.

In Andrew Agbo Abu, Otukpo–Ohimini is not simply choosing a representative — it is investing in a future.