By: Beatrice Gondyi
Governor Douyo Diri of Bayelsa state has appealed to the governors of Bauchi and Benue states Bala Mohammed and Samuel Ortom to sheath their swords over the lingering herdsmen crisis.

Governor Diri stated this during a courtesy visit to governor Bala Thursday at government house Bauchi. He asked the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus to intervene in the conflict between the two governors to avoid its escalation.

Bala and Ortom has for the past couple of days engaged in cold war over the endemic farmers and herders clashes in the country.

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Bauchi state governor opined that the herdsmen were forced to take weapons ‘because nobody protects them against cattle rustlers’ while his Benue state counterpart is of the view that it was wrong for Bala to support herders carrying guns alleging that he was supporting terrorism.

Diri called on  party members not to escalate into the squabbles so as not to promote internal crisis in the party.

“It is very disturbing to read on the pages of national newspapers the two governors of Bauchi and Benue engaging in cold war. I appealed to party leadership to intervene into the matter and no party member should speak on the contentious issue again”. He appealed.

Responding, governor Bala Mohammed thanked Mr Diri for the visit and promised not to speak on the contentious issue again or against Ortom.