I’ve no issue with Gboko Catholic Diocese – Ortom

By Daniel Agbo

Makurdi

Benue state governor, Dr Samuel Ortom yesterday denied having a rift with the Catholic Diocese of Gboko.
Governor Ortom was on Wednesday at the thanksgiving to mark the 64th birthday celebration of Sen. George Akume, prevented from speaking in the church by the Parish Priest of St. Christopher, Wannune, Rev Father Titus Ashwe.
Blueprint gathered that, while the assistant priest of the Church was delivering his sermon at the mass for the former governor’s birthday anniversary, and one of the things he mentioned in his sermon was that the celebrant must give quality advice to governor Ortom on statecraft including the issues of salaries, otherwise he too would get part of the blame.
But when Senator Akume was allowed to make his speech, he also requested that governor Ortom be also allowed to make brief remarks.
However, when the governor took the microphone, the Parish Priest came from behind and announced that he was not allowed to speak.
It was further gathered that, after the mass, when the priest was leaving he passed by the dignitaries and explained to them that the Bishop of the Diocese gave the directive not to allow the governor to talk.
The incident however created a row with widespread insinuation particularly on the social media that the governor was banned from speaking from the church because of a rift existing between him and the Catholic Diocese.
But in a reaction, governor Ortom said he understands and respects the decision of Gboko Catholic Diocese not to allow politicians to speak during masses and therefore would not have felt slighted when the Priest in charge of the Wannune Parish did not permit him to speak during the mass in accordance with the decision of the Diocese.
The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary ,Terver Akase, urged those amplifying the incident and making inflammatory statements for political reasons to sheathe their swords.

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