The Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, has hit back at former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso following his criticism of the Benue governor over the disruption of Peter Obi’s recent visit to the state.
Kula accused Kwankwaso of interfering in Benue politics and urged the former Kano governor to focus on political issues in his home state.
The exchange followed the disruption of Obi’s visit to Benue, where the former Anambra State governor had travelled to Yelwata to meet families affected by the deadly attacks in the community in 2025.
Obi’s convoy was reportedly stopped by youths along the Makurdi-Gboko Road, prompting a political dispute over who was responsible for the incident.
The Benue State Government denied involvement and said it was unaware of Obi’s visit. The Nigeria Police Force, however, confirmed that its command had been notified of the visit and that officers had been deployed to provide security for Obi. The police said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Kwankwaso subsequently criticised Governor Alia over the incident, with the NDC chieftain questioning the governor’s handling of the situation.
Responding in a statement issued on Wednesday, Kula described Kwankwaso’s comments as an “unfortunate and unwarranted insult” against the Benue governor.
He alleged that Kwankwaso was upset because Obi had entered Benue without what he described as proper coordination.
Kula claimed that the visit had been deliberately arranged in a manner that could be used to portray Alia negatively. He also accused political actors of attempting to exploit the incident for political purposes.
The governor’s spokesman further rejected what he described as Kwankwaso’s interference in Benue’s internal affairs, particularly comments concerning the relationship between Governor Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
He urged Kwankwaso to concentrate on political developments in Kano and accused him of failing to address challenges facing his party in the state.
“Kwankwaso should face Kano politics,” Kula said, while arguing that the people of Benue should be allowed to determine their political future.
The dispute comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Obi and Kwankwaso now operating within the same NDC political structure.
The allegations exchanged by the different political camps over Obi’s Benue visit remain contested, while the police investigation is expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the disruption.
