By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has assured Benue State people that he and other stakeholders in the North would wade into the crisis between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, and Governor Hyacinth Alia, for peace to reign between the two political gladiators for development to thrive.
Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu at a weeding between Samuel Dajo, son to the SGF and Debora Atoga gave the assurance while speaking at the wedding reception yesterday in Makurdi.
He said President Tinubu and the North would not afford to allow the discord between Senator George Akume a highly respected leader in Benue, the North Central and Nigeria and his Governor Hyacinth Alia to persist, stating that he as the Vice-President, has a personal moral obligation as leader of the North to reconcile both gladiators for them to heal the wounds, describing the SGF as an accommodating leader and one with a good heart.
The Vice-President stated that what binds the governor and Senator Akume as well as other leaders including himself superspeeds what divides them, arguing that if that relationship is allowed to go asunder not just Benue but both the North and entire country will suffer, adding that Benue state is too important to the Tinubu administration such that government will not allow the state to be toiled with.
” Senator Akume has paid his dues,both in the civil service and in politics,he was a director of protocol, permanent secretary, governor of Benue for two terms, Senator for eight years and became minority leader in the Senate, minister and now SGF” the Vice-President said, describing the SGF as a cat with nine lives who over the years has enthroned his successors since 1999 to date.
He said Senator Akume has the capacity and had always enthroned and dethroned governor’s in Benue state including the incumbent, assuring that stakeholders in the North would not allow the relationship between him and Governor Alia to go asunder going by the way the governor is transforming the state.
The Vice-President who described the SGF as a man with a big heart as well as a leader that is highly respected in the country assured Benue people that he and other Northern stakeholders of the party would take it as a matter of responsibility to repair the relationship for the benefit of the State, North Central and the Country.
He expressed appreciation to the governor and people of Benue for the warm reception accorded his entourage praying for peace to reign between the two political gladiators.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation,SGF, Senator George Akume, commended President Tinubu for sending his Vice despite their tight schedule for the wedding.
The SGF who acknowledged the difficult tasks associated with leadership urged Nigerians to pray for leaders and for Benue people to particularly pray for their Governor Hyacinth Alia to enable him succeed.
He assured the newly wedded couple that he would do everything possible to take good care of them, praying God to bless the marriage with the fruit of the womb for them to see their children ‘s children.
