Vice President Kashim Shettima has appealed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, to settle their differences and work together for the progress of Benue State.
Shettima made the call on Thursday at the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Summit held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he stood in for President Bola Tinubu.
He used the occasion to urge both leaders, who belong to the All Progressives Congress, to put aside their dispute and focus on unity within the party.
His appeal followed reports of tension between the two political figures in Benue State.
The disagreement reportedly led to separate congresses conducted by supporters loyal to each camp in the state about two weeks ago.
After the parallel gatherings, different groups announced their own leaders, creating division within the party structure in the state.
Addressing the situation, Shettima said both men must find a way to reconcile, warning that continued conflict could slow down development in Benue and affect the welfare of its people.
He urged them to remember that they are members of the same party and share a common goal of serving the state.
The Vice President directed his message particularly to Akume, describing him as a senior figure in public service.
He noted that Akume has held several positions over the years, including serving as governor, senator, minister, and now Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
According to Shettima, with such long experience, Akume should take the first step toward restoring peace by reaching out to the governor.
He said Benue needs stability and cooperation among its leaders in order to move forward. He added that unity is more important than personal disagreements and that leaders must work together for the greater good of the country.
Shettima said: "Lastly, one can hardly get a forum better than this. I want to use this forum to make a special appeal to His Excellency Senator George Akume and His Excellency Governor Hyacinth Alia to mend fences and work effectively.
“Senator Akume, apart from Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Akume is the longest serving public servant in the current dispensation. He’s in his seventies. He started work in Benue State Government House. He was the director of protocol. He was a permanent secretary. He was a governor for eight years, a senator for 16 years, a minister for four years, and now the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. You have seen it all.
“You are an elder statesman, reach out to our junior brother. Let’s build Benue together. Benue deserves peace. Benue deserves development.
“What binds us together, as I have always said, supersedes whatever divides us. The trajectory of global growth is facing Africa, and Nigeria will make or mar that transition.
“Nigeria is greater than all of us. And as Martin Luther King rightly said, we either learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. And we are not a nation of fools. We are a nation of very intelligent, very smart people that know their onions.”
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