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| Gov. Darius Ishaku |
The Taraba State
governor, Arch. Darius Ishaku, has described as baseless, unfounded and
malicious, allegation by a group called Taraba Elders, that he was behind the
incessant communal crises in Wukari local government area of the state.
The governor, who
was reacting to the allegation in Abuja on Monday, explained that the Wukari
crises predated his administration and that he only inherited it on assumption
of office on May 29 this year.
According to
him, he has convened multiple peace meetings between the elders of the various
communities of Wukari as well as the generality of the people, where various
sub- committees were inaugurated up to the village levels in the bid to find
lasting peace in the area.
Senior Special
Assistant to the governor on media and publicity, Mr. Sylvanus Giwa, said in
statement that the so-called elders only existed in the inauguration of the
author of the mischievous article, Mallam Sanny Sule Sale, whom he accused of
faning the embers religious division among the peace – loving people of Wukari
for personal aggrandizement.
He maintained
that Mallam Sanny who was a former resident of Wukari, since retirement from
government services, had found for himself a new vacation of promoting
religions diversity in the state instead of availing the people his wealth of
experience in creating an atmosphere for harmonious co-existence.
He said as a
responsible government, it could not shy away from maintaining peace and
security as there would be no meaningful development in an acrimonious society.
He maintained
that the state government was working round the clock to ensure that peace was
not only permanently restored to Wukari, but the entire state, adding that the
government quest to develop the state will remain a mirage if we fail to maintain
the peace.
Mr. Giwa also
cited the governor’s recent visit to the Federal University Wukari, during an
award ceremony, where the governor challenged the people of the area to give
him and he will give them development in return.
“My good people
of Wukari, give me peace and I will give you development. Wukari is destined
for greater heights but this will not be possible if the people cannot live
peacefully together” he quoted the governor as saying.
Meanwhile,
Wukari Progressive Forum (WPF), have chided those painting the town as a hot –
bed of ethnic and religious intolerance to have a re- think as the inhabitants
are followers of different religions who had lived peacefully with one another
until the return to democracy.
Chairman and
Secretary of the association, Mr. David Hikon and Alhaji Mohammed Danjuma, in a
press release said the bad impression being created about the area to the
outside world by some outsiders who do not understand the complexities of the
inhabitants needed to end.
According to
them, some settlers who had enjoyed the hospitality of Wukari have now turned
against her through their divisive activities after losing out in the current
political equation and therefore, have decided to ensure that there was no
peace in the area.
They said it was
unfortunate that in the struggle for political patronage once a particular
group in Wukari which was known for using religion and ethnicity to dominate
the political space loses out the town will not know any peace again.
They cited
groups like Federation of Wukari Muslim led by a self – style Ustaz Sanny Sule
Sale, Taraba Elders and a host of other individuals who are residing outside
the town as those responsible for inciting the people against one another.
The association
decried the excessive use of religion in the pursuit of personal political
ambitions by politicians in the area, saying that it was now time for everybody
to turn a new leaf so that Wukari can enjoy the peace it desired.
- Leadership
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