By Samuel Ogidan
Abuja
Taraba state Christian women, under the aegis of Young Women’ Christian Fellowship of Nigeria, have described the allegations levelled against the acting governor, Umar Garba, by the Chairman of Taraba state chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Timothy Yahaya, as “baseless, disheartening and unwarranted.”
The allegations, which indicated that the acting governor was responsible for the violence in the state and as such should be impeached, had been described as “a reflection of the need by the chairman to whip up religious sentiments in the light of the already volatile situation in some parts of Taraba state.”
The Christian group, in a statement by it coordinator, Deaconess Priscilla Suleiman, said: “It is sad and highly condemnable that a clergyman of such high standing will make such statements which are capable of bringing a peace-loving state such as Taraba to its knees because of the tension which it will cause.
“We would like to use this medium to condemn in very strong terms such statements as credited to the CAN chairman and that at no time has there been any reason for the people of Taraba state to call for the resignation or impeachment of the acting governor.
“Against this background, let it be noted that the acting governor in good faith and without any form of guile appointed a Christian and a bishop to head the Taraba state Peace Initiative.”
The group advised Bishop Timothy Yahaya to work with Bishop Charles Yohanna as well as the acting governor to bring lasting peace to Taraba state.
It added that “Bishop Yahaya should stick to the call of preaching the gospel and winning souls for Christ rather than meddling in politics.
“So far, as we know, he has not stated clearly if he wants to run for any political office and should kindly refrain from making any statement that is capable of jeopardising the peace process being established in the state.”
In his remarks, the state PDP chairman said Comrade Adams Oshiomhole rode on the back of workers in the state to become governor and abandoned them upon his assumption of office.
He said: “Oshiomhole deceived workers, teachers, students, doctors, okada riders, market women, artisans and everybody but he could not deceive me. He could not deceive me because I knew him and I still know him very much,” he stated.
