Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, have finally reconciled their intractable political animosity as the two warring sides have agreed to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.
New Telegraph recalls that the political feud between the duo, which began since the inception of the present administration over who controls the structures of the All Progressives Congress (APC), worsened in the past three years and split the party into factions.
Efforts by the National leadership of the party to resolve the crisis deadlocked as both sides did not agree to shift grounds.
But at the peace meeting convened by Governor Hyacinth Alia to end the impasse for the development of the state at the weekend, the two sides amicably resolved to put aside their differences and embrace enduring peace to move the state to the next level of development.
Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting at the government house in Makurdi, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said the crux of the meeting was hinged on the unity of the party, beginning from when they started stressing that the intention now is
to carry everybody along.
Senator Akume said Governor Hyacinth Alia had apologised profusely for his past mistakes, stressing that part of the resolution was that all members of the State and National Assembly will automatically retain their seats.
The SGF said, “We talked about the unity of our party, we started from where we started as a party and where we went wrong, and we want to get back, we want everybody to have a place, we want inclusiveness in this party, it shouldn’t be something that some people just take control, no.
“Two, Father (Alia) told us he was sorry for what had happened, and of course, the President’s message: all those elected on the platform of the APC from the state Assembly to the National Assembly must come back, they are automatic candidates, and that Father (Alia) must be retained in office. So these were the issues we discussed, and I think we had a common ground”.
Also speaking, Governor Alia stressed the need for aggrieved and non-aggrieved members of the party to come back as one indivisible entity, stressing that the importance of the reunion is to reconcile with each other to find a common ground to work for the progress of the state and country as a whole.
The governor said Benue is fortunate to be governed by the APC administration and cannot afford to miss the opportunity where citizens of the state would continue to reap the dividends of democracy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Governor Alia said the initiative to call for the meeting was deliberate, “so that every member will come back”, saying that those who are aggrieved, I apologise on behalf of every member of APC in the state. And as I said, when we work together wholesomely, we will make Benue a better place”.
“So, if we do not mend fences, if we do not bring back warring parties, then it is not good leadership; this is why I have to invite distinguished senator George Akume to come to a roundtable with me and the others so that we operate under one roof of APC”.
Governor Alia, however, disagreed with the AGF on the issue of a consensus ticket to serve State and National Assembly lawmakers, insisting that no such resolution was reached and that “the matter is beyond both of us”.
In a reaction, former governor of the state, Senator Gabriel Suswam, lauded the outcome of the meeting, saying “it is important that we are now all together; while Senator Emmanuel Udende, representing Benue North East, also expressed happiness over the resolutions of the meeting.
Senator Udende said, “We were a divided house and you know the consequences of a divided house. Today, we are united, and I think we will move on greater now”.
