April 03, (THEWILL) – Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, has innaugurated a committee to resolve the lingering leadership tussle within the Benue community in the state.
Oyetola, while inaugurating the committee on Sunday in Osogbo, during a meeting with the leaders of Benue indigenes resident in Osun state, also directed the warring factions to withdraw all cases pending before court on the issue for peace to reign.
There had been crisis within the Benue community in Osun with two factions laying claim to its leadership.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the governor at the meeting noted that Osun was a peaceful state and had given room for indigenes and non-indigenes to live in harmony.
He said, “Osun is known as a peaceful state and as a responsible and responsive government, we will always ensure a peaceful environment for both indigenes and non-Indigenes.
“We have to sustain the peace in the state and not to give room for any crisis and this is the essence of this meeting, for the two groups to resolve the issue and ensure peace.
The committee saddled with the responsibility to resolve the leadership crisis would be chaired by the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mr Sola Oladepo, Commissioner for Political matters and Intergovernmental relations, Mr Taiwo Akeju, would serve as the Vice chairman, while the Special Adviser on Security, Mrs Abiodun Ige, would serve as Secretary.
The two factions fighting over the leadership of the group would also nominate five persons each as their representatives in the committee.
Oyetola, while appealing to Benue community in the state to continue to support his peace-loving government, also urged them to support his reelection come July 16.
In their separate addresses, Oladepo, Akeju and Ige, appealed to the two factions to unite and agree on a consensus leader for peaceful coexistence.
In his response, a factional leader of the group, Chief Audu Samson, appreciated the state’s government prompt intervention in the l crisis.
Samson assured the governor of speedy amicable resolution to the crisis, adding that Benue community will support the governor’s reelection bid.
Also speaking, the leader of the second faction, Chief Augustine Tsor, described the government’s intervention as a welcome development
“Osun State is a very peaceful state and we are happy that Gov. Oyetola is set to resolve our crisis, because we believe in his government.
“I implore my people to be law abiding. I believe the committee set up today will do their best to silent this crisis.
“I will humbly withdraw the matter from the court since the governor has directed that”, Tsor said.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
