As the 2023 general election approaches, personalities and parties have entered the contest of who will generally oversee the Nature’s gift to the Nation. One of this many personalities but a distinguished is Dr. David Charima who spoke extensively to, reporter, DAMILARE Adenola, about his game-changing plans.

Can you introduce yourself sir?

Dr. David Victor Joel Charima is my name but officially prefers to be known as Dr David Charima. I hail from Nanzo Village of Abbare B Ward of Lau LGA of Taraba State. I am a trained Veterinary Surgeon and Member of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) and Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN).

I have an Executive Diploma in Entrepreneurship and MBA in Business Administration from Taraba Business School where I was retained to serve as a Senior Lecturer after graduating with Distinction.

I am a community youth leader of yandang Nation. Also a Director, Nigerian Young Professional Forum (NYPF) Taraba State Chapter. I once Contested for State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN). Finally, an Ambassador of National Yandang Youth Development Association.

I was the President of Joint Christian Campus Fellowship University of Maiduguri where he was instrumental to the building of Students Ecumenical Center

Do you have any background in politics?

I was a confidential aide to the Deputy Governor Taraba State from 1st November 2016-2020. I was also the Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Taraba State and concurrently, a Special Aide to the Deputy Governor before resigning to contest for Governor myself.

Why are you contesting for the no 1 seat in Taraba state?

There are three reasons why I have decided to throw my hat into the ring; the Challenge, the myth and the Vision.

THE CHALLENGE:

In 2008, we were sharing banters with my Secondary School Classmates and one of them shut me up saying; ‘When people from great States are talking, People from Taraba should shut up because it is a “One Street State’

And in 2008, ten years after, a similar situation presented itself and I was asked to shut up because Taraba is backwards by 2 weeks and that National dailies reach Taraba two days after and we do not have what it takes to be called a State.

No airport and other social infrastructural developments including that attracts the world to States.

THE MYTH:

To demystify the outplays of those who emerged as Governor has been my resolve.

A. To prove that Leadership is not rocket science but it takes Political will, Visionary passion and Innovative creativity to become a great leader which we lack since 1999.

B. It is said that those who emerged as Governors have an initials that match the DD and another letter to emerge.

In 2007 – Danbaba Danfulani Suntai (DDS) was Governor

In 2015 – Darius Dickson Ishaku (DDI) is Governor and I strongly believe that

In 2023 Dr David Charima (DDC) is next

THE VISION:

The Vision is to SEE a greater Taraba against all odds

What are you game-changing plans?

Taraba State has been governed by a Bloc that only serves its purposes and vested interests, but our goal is to, in spite of such obligations we shall

#1. Drive the message of unity and equal coexistence between Waring communities and religious distinctions

#2. Ban the export of all raw materials and agricultural produce and Industrailize those commodities by processing, packaging and marketing them as finished products

#3. Drive both urban and rutal infrastructural and social developments by decentralizing the Education sector (Satellite Campuses) across the 16 LGAs and siting industries in every Local Council

#4. Focus on Tourism developments and encouraging socio-cultural festivities across the over 40 ethnic groups

#5. Boost Livestock and modern animal husbandry to feed the nation to meet up the United Nations proposition to achieve protein demand in our foods.

SEE happens to be an acronym adopted by your campaign, what does it mean?

I SEE a Greater Taraba Vision is essentially an acronym for

1. S – Security

2. E – Economy

3. E – Education

SECURITY:

To ensure and enforce Peace in the state we shall ensure and enforce the following;

1. Develop a database of the current population through digital censors program and developing a computerized medical record system of births and deaths index.

2.  Place a ban on illegal immigration, settlement and encroachment.

3. Enforce the Executive order to ensure that two-fighting is a state crime. And shall form part of curriculum from nursery to higher levels of education and Faith base Institutions.

4. Traditional council leaders shall be held to account for any ethnic or religious crisis or dispute.

5. An Executive order shall be passed and signed to revoke the privileges of whoever takes laws into their hands in no matter the case that leads to destruction of lives and properties.

6. Whoever, is involved in land dispute and takes the law into his or her hand shall lose such property no matter his position as owner or caretaker.

7. Kidnapping, Cattle rustling and Insurgency shall, through Executive bills and signed act receive State Capital Punishment of the death penalty and corruption as well.

ECONOMY:

Civil Service can not meet the growing demand for job creation at the expense of the deficiency of wealth creation. The annual budget of Taraba State since 2020 is over 100 Billion but our internally Generated Revenue is less than 5 Billion Naira. This means TARABA STATE IS BROKE!

Our goal is to ban all export of raw materials and agricultural produce while we process, package and market those products.

Our first target shall be to invest, partner and collaborate with Corporate organizations to boost

1. Sugar Production

2. Rice Production

3. Tomatoes Production

4. Cocoa Processing

5. Groundnut Processing

6. Palm Oil Production

7. Salt Production

Within the first four years and the below shall be in the second term

1. Natural Resources Exploration and Processing

2. Cotton-Garment industry

3. Tourism Development

4. Shea butter Oil and Olive Oil Production

5. Woodwork Production (Afforestatiin of cash tress and Furnituring)

6. Excellent Education and Working Environment of all Sector

7. Entrepreneurship Development and Empowerment Scheme.

In all of the above we shall ensure the following;

1. Healthcare Development

2. Education Revolution

3. Road Infrastructure

4. Housing Development

5. Veterinary and Livestock Development

6. Water Development

7. Food Security.

EDUCATION:

First is to

1. Remodel our curriculum to infuse

A. Technology and Computing

B. Entrepreneurship Development and E-commerce

C. Peace and Conflict Resolution

D. State Laws and capital crimes subjects

E. Skill Acquisition and Arts/Crafts

2. Excellent Learning and Conducive Environment

3. Establishing Satellite Campuses in LGAs

4. Encouraging Professional Courses

5. State Special Science and Commercial Schools

6. Re-establishment of Teachers College

7. Establishment of Teachers Training Institute.