▁leader ▁of ▁another ▁political ▁camp . ▁However , ▁his ▁administration ▁was ▁perce ived ▁as ▁honest ▁and ▁effective . ▁A ku ▁res igned ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁council ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁subsequently ▁entered ▁the ▁Ben ue ▁State ▁primary ▁race ▁for ▁governor ▁under ▁the ▁b anner ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁of ▁Niger ia ▁( N PN ). ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁N PN ▁primary ▁over ▁challeng ers ▁such ▁as ▁Isaac ▁Sh a ahu ▁and ▁George ▁At ed ze . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁elected ▁Governor ▁of ▁Ben ue ▁State ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁A ku ▁faced ▁severe ▁problems ▁as ▁governor ▁in ▁a ▁state ▁with ▁a ▁long ▁history ▁of ▁neglect , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁area ▁which ▁was ▁inhab ited ▁by ▁minor ity ▁groups . ▁However , ▁the ▁state ▁has ▁fert ile ▁land ▁and ▁pl ent iful ▁ra inf all , ▁with ▁great ▁agricult ural ▁potential . ▁A ku ▁encourag ed ▁mass ▁agricult ural ▁production , ▁and ▁during ▁his ▁ten ure ▁the ▁state ▁produced ▁b um per ▁har v ests ▁of ▁local ▁cro ps ▁such ▁as ▁y ams , ▁c ass ava , ▁so ya ▁be ans , ▁cow pe a , ▁ma ize , ▁gu inea ▁corn , ▁mil let , ▁ground nut , ▁ban ana , ▁m ango es ▁and ▁or anges . ▁The ▁Government ▁established ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁indust ries ▁to ▁produce ▁fert il izer ▁and ▁process ▁agricult ural ▁products