President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed to broker peace between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, to ensure stability and development in the state and the nation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the wedding of Akume’s son in Makurdi, Tinubu described Benue as a vital “political pacesetter” too important for internal discord to persist.
He emphasized the need for unity, stating, “What binds us together should be greater than whatever divides us.”
Tinubu warned that if the rift continues, it is the people of Benue, the North Central region, and Nigeria at large who would suffer.
He praised Akume as a seasoned leader with a “big heart” and “nine lives” in politics, while also recognizing Governor Alia’s transformative leadership.
In a gesture of reconciliation, Akume, during the event, described Governor Alia as “doing well” and urged prayers for his success.
He acknowledged installing Alia as governor alongside previous successors. Governor Alia, in turn, offered his blessings to the newlyweds and pledged support for the couple.
The President’s intervention underscores a strategic move to consolidate political harmony within the ruling party’s stronghold in Benue State as the country looks toward the next election cycle.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
