From Joseph Uchenna, Makurdi
The Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima has expressed worries at the persistent feud between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume and the Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, insisting everything would be done to heal the wounds.
The Governor and the SGF have been at each other’s throat since the assumption of office of former.
The feud culminated in a recent constitution of a committee by the National Executive Committee, NEC of the All Progressives Congress, APC headed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abass to reconcile both parties.
While speaking in Makurdi at the wedding reception of the son of the SGF, Sen Shettima said Benue is too important for us to toy with, quoting a statement by Martin Luter who said, ‘we learn to live together as brothers or live together as fools’.
He also said, “We cannot continue to allow the discord between the elder statesman Sen George Akume and the Governor, my brother Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia to persist”, maintaining that they have a moral obligation to step in and heal the wounds.
Sen Shettima added: ‘what binds us together supersedes what divides us. If this relationship goes asunder, it is the people of Benue, North Central and Nigeria that would suffer’.
He lauded Sen Akume as the leader of Benue, North Central and Nigeria.
Said he, “By the tone of his speech, he is accommodating, he has a large heart. Sen Akume has paid his dues as the longest-serving public servant in the contemporary history of this country.
“Tarka passed that mantle to him. I call him the cat with nine lives. He served as governor and enthroned a governor. He fell out with one and enthroned another one. But we will not allow his relationship with the transformative Governor Alia to go asunder. I have that moral obligation as the leader of the North to work on it, repair the relationship because he has a big heart. He is our leader that we hold in the highest esteem. May the peace between the two political gladiators become stronger and stronger.
“Benue is the heartbeat of the nation. It goes beyond being the food basket. Benue is a pacesetter and Benue has a large heart. The largest non-Muslim tribe in Nigeria is the Tiv. The tivs are found in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, FCT, Niger and along the Lake Chad of Borno.
“The 2023 election was the most peaceful election held in contemporary Nigeria and Benue and Tiv Nation decided to vote for the Nigerian candidate and not a religious or Northern candidate. The leader of Benue and leader of the North Central, Sen Akume is a leader in Nigeria. By the tone of his speech, he is accommodating, he has a large heart. Sen Akume has paid his dues as the largest serving public servant in the contemporary history of this country”.
