By Amos Aar
VICE PRESIDENT Kashim Shettima’s visit to Benue last week was more than a routine political trip; it was a high-stakes presidential directive aimed at mending a deepening rift between Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
Shettima, attending the wedding reception of Senator Akume’s son in Makurdi, called for unity and reconciliation between the two leaders, warning that prolonged discord could harm not only Benue but the wider North-Central region.
The feud between Akume and Alia, once political allies during the March 2023 governorship election, began to surface publicly in June 2023 over disagreements on appointments, party control and influence within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.
Moves by Alia to restructure the APC, including attempts to replace state party leadership aligned with Akume, caused mistrust and led supporters on both sides to operate parallel party structures, fracturing cohesion within the state. The discord has occasionally manifested in public clashes between their supporters, showing the fragility of political unity in Benue.
Recognising the danger of an escalating crisis, His Royal Majesty, Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, previously intervened as a mediator. In April 2024, the traditional ruler brought the two leaders together at his palace in Gboko, where Akume and Alia symbolically shook hands and agreed to bury their differences. Yet, the peace was short-lived as the tension resurfaced, demonstrating that traditional mediation alone could not resolve deeply rooted political rivalries without sustained commitment from both parties.
The urgency of the matter became more pronounced following the Yelwata massacre, when President Bola Tinubu visited Benue on June 18, 2025, and urged both leaders to reconcile. He invited them to Abuja for dialogue, emphasising that political unity was critical for security and development.
Even so, the discord re-emerged shortly thereafter, prompting repeated calls from civic actors and party stakeholders for higher-level intervention to prevent governance from being undermined.
For ordinary Benue residents, the feud has translated into disjointed governance and weakened collaboration between the federal and state levels. Critics argue that federal support and state implementation of key development and security initiatives have been compromised by the ongoing dispute.
Social media users have expressed frustration over the protracted impasse. On Facebook, John Odum lamented: “What has happened to our leaders? They bicker when lives are being lost.” Similarly, Angela Tersoo commented: “Political quarrels continue to overshadow urgent security needs in our state, when will they put the people first?”
Reactions to Shettima’s latest intervention are mixed. Peter Mbakwe expressed cautious optimism: “With the Vice President directly involved, maybe peace will finally hold.” Yet, some remained sceptical. Fatima Agbo wrote: “Another round of promises, but politics always wins over people’s pain in Benue.”
Some people are of the opinion that for reconciliation to succeed, it must go beyond symbolic handshakes and speeches, requiring structural commitments from both leaders to bridge their competing factions.
As Benue watches and waits, the hope remains that Shettima’s visit, backed by the moral authority of President Tinubu and the urgency of upcoming elections, could mark a turning point in the long-standing feud. Whether this latest effort will succeed where previous attempts by the Tor Tiv and even presidential mediation failed remains to be seen, but the people of Benue are counting on unity and collaboration between their state and federal leaders to bring stability and progress to the region.
