Onuh Onyeche Blessing

Onuh Onyeche Blessing is a Nigerian politician who contested the 2023 House of Representative Elections as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Benue.

Biography

Blessing Onyeche Onuh (born 30 June 1976) is a Nigerian politician from Benue State, representing Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. She is the daughter of former Senate President David Mark.

Early life and education: Blessing Onyeche Onuh was born on 30 June 1976 in Otukpo, Benue State, to the family of David Mark of Akpegedde-Otukpo. In 1988, she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate from St. Andrew's Primary School, Otukpo. She then attended Federal Government Girls’ College Gboko, graduating in 1993. She later studied sociology at the University of Abuja, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1999. Her qualifications include a First School Leaving Certificate, General Certificate of Education, and a Doctor of Healthcare Ethics.

Career: After her education, she served in the National Youth Service Corps (2000–2001) in the Agriculture department of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Jos, Plateau State. She held various administrative roles, including Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Education, Special Assistant to the Minister of Inter-Governmental, Local Government and Special Duties, and Secretary for the Social Welfare Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory Administration. She ran for the House of Representatives in 2018 under APGA but lost the primaries. She later joined APC and was reelected in 2023. She is currently the chair of the House Committee on Land Transportation.

Party Positions

Policy positions from the All Progressives Congress (APC) party manifesto.

Agriculture

Launches the Irrigate Nigeria Project as a public-private partnership to develop small-scale irrigation and water catchment systems using modern technology to boost agricultural productivity.

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Security & Defense

Will deploy modern aerial surveillance and advanced technology to monitor and deter intrusions into oil pipelines, power stations, and other critical national infrastructure in real time.

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Environment & Climate

Accelerates the environmental cleanup and re-establishment of fisheries and profitable aquacultural activities in the Niger-Delta region to counter violent extremism and poverty-driven disaffection.

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Economy & Trade

Will implement the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and additional favorable policies to attract investment in deep-water assets within 6 months, including encouraging signature bonus negotiations and royalty reliefs.

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Infrastructure

Creates regional industrial hubs in specific zones (North West, North East, South East, South South, South West, North Central) to focus on labor-intensive manufacturing, with tailored investments (e.g., textiles, dry ports, glass, pottery, solid minerals, regulated mining).

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Enterprise grant support

Work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to simplify loan processes for commercial banks, mandate federally owned banks to provide low-cost loans to youth-led enterprises, and expand business incubation centers to support youth innovation.

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Energy

Will mandate gas metering equipment on all facilities where gas flaring occurs within 6 months and establish a special enforcement unit to monitor compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) on gas flaring reduction, with non-compliance leading to financial penalties for affected communities.

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Governance & Reform

Reserve at least 3 cabinet positions for individuals under 40 and 6 more positions for members under the age of 40, and mandate that at least 20% of political appointments to Ministries/Dangomas (MDAs) be reserved for individuals under 40.

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Education

Raises the priority of addressing out-of-school children, establishes a task force to review and strengthen programs like school feeding, and aims to reduce disaffected youth recruitment by violent groups.

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Healthcare

Will establish a network of upgraded, equipped, and staffed general hospitals in every Local Government Area, tertiary facilities in each State, and world-class specialist hospitals in each geo-political zone to improve healthcare accessibility and quality.

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Technology & Digital

Supports the development of MSMEs through partnerships with fintech players to expand access to capital and business development services.

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Reliefs and scholarships

Commits to a conditional income support program requiring recipients to meet human capital goals (school attendance, healthcare, nutrition) in exchange for payments.

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