Oyetola sets up committee to resolve Benue community leadership crisis in Osun 

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State has inaugurated 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 in the state, also directed the warring factions to withdraw all cases pending before court for peace to reign.

There had been crisis within the Benue community with two factions laying claim to its leadership.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, 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 is to be chaired by 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 would also nominate five persons each as their representatives in the committee.

Oyetola, while appealing to the community to continue to support his peace-loving government, also urged them to support his re-election come July 16. 

In their comments, 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 community, Chief Audu Samson, appreciated the state government’s prompt intervention.

He assured the governor of speedy amicable resolution to the crisis, adding that Benue community will support the governor’s re-election 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 Governor 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.