Tiv paramount ruler broker peace between Akume, Gov Alia

On Easter Monday, the Tiv Traditional Council facilitated a reconciliation meeting between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.

The gathering took place at the Tor Tiv palace in Gboko, drawing supporters of both leaders to the venue. However, only one delegate from each party was permitted to accompany the leaders inside.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, the Chairman of the Tiv Traditional Council and the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty Professor James Ayatse, provided insights into the discussion.

“Today, being Easter Monday, I summoned the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev Alia, and the SGF, Sen George Akume, to address the conflicts that have arisen between them,” stated the paramount ruler.

“We have engaged in discussions concerning their political differences, and we are pleased with the outcome.”

“They have told us and discussed the issues with us and we have all discussed and agreed together.

Tor Tiv further said that they (Akume and Alia) had agreed to bury their differences and work together as a team for the good of the people.

“So all the past differences have been put aside you have a fresh start, working together in unity in cooperation and agreement for the progress and development of Benue State.

The paramount ruler said that the duo had made a commitment before the Tiv traditional council, saying, ‘and they have agreed by symbolically shaking and embracing each other.

“That they will work together as a team. They will bury their differences and work together. We are happy with the resolutions they took themselves and we believe they have shown commitment by their actions.

“This decision they have taken and important, we (Tiv traditional council) are their fathers in the land, our blessings have a lot of importance in their activities so to make such commitment in the presence of the traditional rulers in the land is very weighty.

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“And we do believe that they will adhere to the resolutions that were reached today.

None of the two leaders could address journalists after the meeting.

It will be recalled that the duo of Akume and Alia both of Tiv ethnic stock had been engrossed in the cold war over who controls the party structure in the state.

But the two leaders at separate fora always claimed that there was no rift with each other ascribing happenings in the party to the hand work of political jobbers.

Despite several denials, the sour relationship between the duo came into the public recently with the inauguration of a factional state working committee of the All Progressive Congress by Governor Alia.

Both the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shetima and the national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Gadunje had on separate occasions appealed to the duo to close ranks and allow peace to reign.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE