Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, Sir Tersoo Kula, has launched a scathing response to former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over his recent criticism of Governor Alia, describing the remarks as “an unfortunate and unwarranted insult” that does little to advance constructive political discourse. In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Kula accused Kwankwaso of interfering in Benue’s internal affairs and urged him to focus on the political challenges confronting his own state.
The dispute stems from the controversy surrounding the recent visit of Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi to Benue State. Obi had travelled to Benue to visit Yelwata and meet families affected by the deadly 2025 attacks, but his convoy was blocked by a group of suspected thugs along the Makurdi-Gboko Road. The Benue State Government denied any involvement in the incident and said it was not aware of Obi’s visit. However, Obi’s party said it had notified security authorities ahead of the visit, and documents subsequently emerged showing that the police command had been informed.
Kwankwaso, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, weighed in on the incident during an interview on Untold Stories with Adesuwa, describing what happened as “unfortunate and unnecessary.” He said Governor Alia should not have allowed it to happen, adding that some members of the All Progressives Congress had expressed anger over the development. “What happened in Benue was unfortunate and was unnecessary, and I can tell you I had the opportunity to talk to one or two people on the side of APC; they were very angry because he, the governor, shouldn’t have done that,” Kwankwaso said.
The former Kano governor also commented on Alia’s emergence as governor, recalling his relationship with George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Governor of Benue State. “My colleague, my brother, who was also a 1999 governor, and we were in the senate together, now, the SGF. Akume, George Akume, brought him from the church,” Kwankwaso said. “I don’t think he was a politician. I never heard his name.” He argued that political experience and continuous learning are essential for anyone aspiring to govern a state, saying, “You see, this tutorship: you can’t just become governor day one even if you are in politics, even if you are senator, or house of reps, there are certain things that you will lie low and learn, and then you build your knowledge, then you become a successful governor, and then you become a tutor yourself.”
Kula, in his response, rejected Kwankwaso’s characterization of the events and accused him of harbouring a “misplaced grudge” against Governor Alia. “We understand his misplaced grudge against Governor Alia. He is angry because his principal, Peter Obi, was sneaked into Benue without proper coordination, after which he falsely accused the Governor of disrupting the visit,” Kula said. He further alleged that the controversy surrounding Obi’s visit was deliberately created by people seeking to portray Alia negatively. “Obi’s drama was completely set up by those who are desperate to give Governor Alia a bad name, and if, up to this point, Kwankwaso is yet to understand that Obi was used, we are compelled to wonder whether he is truly a politician who understands the politics of this region,” he added.
The Chief Press Secretary defended Governor Alia’s electoral mandate, stressing that the governor was elected by the people of Benue State and deserved respect irrespective of political differences. “Governor Alia, a Reverend gentleman, was elected by the people of Benue State, and his mandate should be respected by any sane citizen, regardless of political differences,” Kula said. He also faulted Kwankwaso for commenting on the relationship between Alia and Senator George Akume, urging the former Kano governor to concentrate on political issues in his home state. “Someone needs to tell the former Governor of Kano State that, rather than interfering in Benue’s internal affairs or making unfounded claims about the relationship between Governor Alia and Senator George Akume, he should focus on the political challenges confronting him in Kano,” he said.
Kula said the concerns surrounding Kwankwaso’s party and its political standing in Kano deserved his attention more than attacks on another state’s governor. “The concerns surrounding his party’s difficulty in finding political footing and his fast-declining political influence there deserve his attention more than personal attacks on another state’s governor,” he said. He also urged Kwankwaso to stop making comments that, according to him, insult the sensibilities of Benue people. “Kwankwaso should be advised to stop insulting the sensibilities of Benue people, as the people are capable of judging their government and deciding their political future,” Kula said. He challenged Kwankwaso to explain his party’s performance in recent by-elections in Kano. “Kwankwaso should face Kano politics. He has enough to explain about why his party performed so abysmally in the last by-elections conducted in his state. He must respect the people’s mandate in Benue and offer ideas, not insults,” he stated.
The exchange has heightened political tensions between the Benue State Government and the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections. The police have said they are investigating the blockade of Obi’s convoy, and 46 people were arrested in connection with the incident. The Benue Government has consistently denied prior knowledge of Obi’s visit and rejected allegations that it sponsored the youths who blocked his convoy. As the war of words continues, the people of Benue State are left to assess the performance of their government and determine their political future, as Kula noted, while the political class remains locked in a bitter exchange of accusations and counter-accusations.
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