Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has inaugurated a committee to resolve the lingering leadership crisis within the Benue community in the state.

Oyetola, while inaugurating the committee yesterday in Osogbo during a meeting with the leaders of Benue indigenes residing in the state, also directed the warring factions to withdraw all court cases for peace to reign.

Benue indigenes living in the state had been embroiled in deep crisis with two factions laying claim to its leadership.

The governor, represented at the meeting 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 and not to give room for any crisis and this is the essence of this meeting.”

The committee is chaired by the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mr. Sola Oladepo; while Commissioner for Political Matters and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Taiwo Akeju, serves as Vice Chairman. The Special Adviser on Security, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, is the Secretary.

The two factions are also expected to 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 re-election 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 co-existence.

In his response, a factional leader of the group, Chief Audu Samson, appreciated the state government’s prompt intervention in the crisis.

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

Also speaking, the leader of the second group, Chief Augustine Tsor, described government’s intervention as a welcome development.