Gov Alia, SGF Akume Settle Rift At Palace Of Tor Tiv

Gov Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, have settled their differences.

This follows reconciliatory moves brokered by the Paramount ruler of the Tiv Nation, HRM Professor James Ayatse.

It was learnt that both Alia and Akume were at a meeting which took place at Tor Tiv Palace in Gboko on Monday night, leading to the reconciliation between the two parties.

Governor Alia was accompanied to the reconciliation meeting by former Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) National Chairman, Chief Barnabas Gemade, while Senator Akume was accompanied by Senator Jack Gyado and National Assembly members from the State, including Chief Titus Zam (Benue North West); Asema Achado (Gwer+ Gwer West ) and Minister of Water Resources Joseph Utsev.

The meeting was held behind closed doors and the terms of the reconciliation were not made public.

However, after the closed-door session, the meeting was later opened to other political actors and newsmen, and Alia and Akume shook hands and embraced Tor Tiv and the public, signalling acceptance of the reconciliation deal.

Prior to the meeting, both Alia and Akume were laying claim to the leadership of the All Proressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

Governor Alia’s faction had set up another Secretariat headed by Omakolo as chairman while Senator Akume and the National Secretariat of the APC recognised Austine Agada as the chairman in Benue state.