Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Taraba State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has said that the endorsement of PDP candidate is not new in the state.
The State Chairman of the Association, Rev. Isiah Magaji Jirapiye stated this while briefing newsmen in Jalingo the Taraba State capital.
“The endorsement of a particular candidate in the history of Taraba elections is not a new thing. This started from 2011 when the then late Pharmacist Danbaba Danfulani Suntai was going in for his second term bid and Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya was contesting along with him. CAN saw that allowing them to clash with their supporters would be desastrous so CAN endorse Danbaba Danfulani Suntai to continue with the second term bid and “it is not a new thing”
“In 2015 the same was repeated between Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and Chief David Sabo Kente and same in 2019.
He said that all the aggrieved candidates are beneficiaries of the endorsement which some of them rose to the ranks of National Assembly members that gave them the baground that took them to where the grace of God help them to go.
“CAN is a father who is out to guide all her members, Sons and Daughters to decide where you have multiple candidates standing for an election for a single position. CAN is a father and has to play the role of a father so that peace and unity will be maintained in Christian faithfuls.
“People ask question, “Why is it that CAN is always endorsing PDP candidate? The answers are, CAN is not partisan, not a political party and does not alien itself with any political party. CAN works on the majority votes within her structures. CAN endorses candidate based on wider consultations with critical stakeholders.
According to him, CAN endorse candidate based on wider consultations with critical stakeholders to reduce letigation.
He denied that CAN received money from the PDP candidate to endorse him.
“CAN would be a stupid father to collect money from her son before taking decision or giving direction to the church.
He said that all the candidates vying for the Governorship position are Christians and members of CAN and that the Association love and respect them despite the wranglings.
“CAN is still willing to work with them in their political carrer even in future as God give the grace. CAN is not against any candidate. It only said that amongst the candidates, it has endorse the PDP candidate Kefas Agbu.
“CAN is still willing to employ dialogue with them. We want them to know that election is not a war, for election would come and go while we still remain. Taraba State is our home, even if you are a Muslim from the state, the state is your home.
He said that CAN summon the candidates to a meeting and causion them on things that can work together.
“We pray that peace will rain in Taraba State and Nigeria at large. Election will come and go peacefuly and God himself will give us a Governor.
According to him CAN respect and love all the Candidates in various political parties and it is not in any way fighting with any of them.
Rev Dr Isaiah Magaji Jirapye, noted that the association did not in any way collect money from any Candidate for endorsement as some people are speculating.
The CAN Chairman observed that the idea was aimed at giving people direction and ensure that people’s votes goes in blog to produce a leader and not to share the votes and fails to produce a leader.
Similarly, the Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Camping Management Council, Andeta’ rang Irammae in a statement said that the media space of Taraba state (mainstream and social medias) is recently choked with reactions to the recent letter of Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN endorsing the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party Lt. Col. Agbu kefas for the 11th March 2023 governorship election in the state.
“CAN is an interest group like any other groups in the state with mandates, obligations, expectations and anticipations. The pursuit of which could call for decisions that may be pleasant and unpleasant to her members.
“The group’s endorsement of PDP’s candidate is in sync with established pattern of political engagements over the years, nothing is wrong with it and strange about it. Declining spiritual values are wont to allow people come out clean to accept this reality.
“The very unfortunate out bursts of three governorship candidates over the issue on 2nd March, 2023, is to say the least a rebellion against orderliness that every sane society predicts and represents.
“It is common knowledge that if the three would each, look into the mirror they should tell the person in that mirror that “you ever brazenly or surreptitiously yearned for syndicated endorsement”.
“It’s rather sad that pathological compulsion for mischief, desperation and seethed have overawed some people in leadership position to the extent that profound truth and trust deficits are acceptable traits of self denigation, they will qualmly say its politics after all.
He said that the media and publicity directorate of the Kefas Gubernatorial Campaign Council is totally behind CAN and would continue to within the modest limit of order work towards actualizing the desires of all support groups CAN inclusive for the election of our candidate Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas rtd.
“It is jaundice perception to reduce CAN to a Group thinking Shackle that seeks to reduce partisan choice to religious choice, the group would have definitely deployed her assessment indices which noticed that Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas rtd dazzled and dwarfed his political peers hence the group’s choice of him.
“Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas rtd Campaign Council is humbled by this endorsement and remain thankful to God for the honour done P.D.P.
He appeal to the Trio that are offended by CAN’s decision to moderate their views and stand and ensure that political dynamics that would breed peace and mutual respect, one for the other is achieved, by shunning provincial proclivity as much as possible.
“It is true that the Trio would have bestrode the political spaces of Taraba State for over 30 years; our candidate Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas is not politically naive either, but a political dynamite that is poised to make the significant difference and one person that would not bring fiction into political narratives of the State – he said.