Makurdi: Vice President Kashim Shettima has pledged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration will safeguard and sustain the cordial relationship between Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, stressing that unity among leaders is vital for the state and the nation.
Vice President Kashim Shettima gave the assurance on Sunday in Makurdi during the wedding reception of the son of Akume.
The Vice-President said he has a moral obligation, as the leader of the North, to work on the relationship between Gov. Alia and the SGF.
“We have that moral obligation to step in and heal the wounds. What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. If this relationship goes awry, it is the people of Benue who will suffer.
“It is the people of the North Central that will suffer; it is the people of Nigeria that will suffer. Sen. Akume has paid his dues,” Shettima said.
He described Akume as the longest-serving public servant in the contemporary history of Nigeria, after the former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, who previously held that record.
The Vice-President commended Alia for his transformative agenda in Benue, saying, “Your Excellency, we are mighty proud of you, we are grateful to you for your leadership, we adore you for your transformative agenda”.
Responding, Akume paid growing tribute to Tinubu for his purposeful leadership since he assumed the mantle of Nigeria’s leadership in May 2023.
“The leadership of the country is doing very well because I’m in a position to know the functioning of government, the mechanics of government, and what government is since 1999,” the SGF said.
Also, Alia commended Tinubu and Shettima for their sustained efforts toward repositioning the country for the good of all Nigerians.
The governor, who congratulated the young couple, assured them of his continued support and guidance, saying, “It is my hope that this young couple will add a lot of value to the growth and development of Benue state.
“We wish you well now and always. We pray that you go with God and may he be ahead of you to bless, behind you to protect you, and above you to continually shower his love and blessings upon you,” the governor said.
Dignitaries present at the event include the Ministers of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev; Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo; and Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha.
