Gov Kefas is Out To End 20 Years Feud in UMCN – Taraba Assembly Member
By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo.
The Member representing Ardo Kola State Constituency at the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon Happy Joshua Shonruba on Sunday disclosed that the Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas is working tirelessly to end the over twenty years leadership feud rocking the United Methodist Church, (UMCN) in the state.
Gov Kefas
Hon Shonruba, who stated this while briefing journalists in Jalingo warned those accusing the governor of taking side in the Church leadership crisis to desist.
“A week ago, the leadership of the Southern Conference of United Methodist Church sent me and the former Commissioner of agriculture and natural resources, Dr David Ishaya Kassa to Ghana as an observer in the recent election of United Methodist Church of Nigeria where they elected their new Bishop.
On returning from Ghana, those who do not want peace in the Church began to spread fake rumours that the Governor sponsored me and the former Commissioner of Agriculture to go for the election which is not true” he said.
Hon Happy Shonruba
He urged critics of the governor to take him out of the ongoing feud rocking the Church, adding that the governor is for peace and want the Church to become one.
He hinted that Taraba Assembly has three members who belong to the United Methodist Church, stressing that they are working round the clock to see that the governor sits with the warring factions to ensure that permanent peace is restored in the Church.
It could be recalled that a fresh round of crisis erupted between the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN) and the breakaway Global Methodist Church of Nigeria (GMCN), a week ago where the Micah Dopah-led group of the United Methodist Church (UMC) urged the new breakaway faction now Global Methodist Church of Nigeria to vacate the headquarters of the United Methodist Church of Nigeria (UMCN).
Dapah during an exclusive interview with selected journalists in his office, volunteered to assist the breakaway faction of the UMCN, now Global Methodist Church in Nigeria (GMCN) raise funds to enable them build their headquarters in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital.
He condemned in strong terms the taking over of the United Methodist Church Nigeria (UMCN) headquarters in Jalingo by the breakaway faction, the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria (GMCN).
He highlighted that when the Global Baptist Church left the Mambilla Baptist some years ago, they were no agitations for sharing of the Church properties.
He maintained that the breakaway faction of the UMCN, now Global Methodist Church (GMCN) are bankrupt and therefore needed an assistance to enable them survive.
But the breakaway faction, Global Methodist Church Nigeria (GMCN) while reacting to the Micah Dopah led group of the UMC refuted the claims of bankruptcy, saying the statement was baseless and defamatory.
The GMCN Bishop, Rev. Dr. John Pena Auta, represented by the Conference Superintendent, Rev. Yayuba Baziel Yoila, condemned the allegations and disclosed plans to pursue legal action against Rev.bMicah Dopah.
“It is laughable for anyone to describe GMCN as bankrupt, we are not bankrupt, we have all the resources needed to carry out God’s work. Rev. Dopah clearly doesn’t understand the meaning of bankruptcy” he noted.
He accused Rev. Dopah of making unfounded statements to gain public sympathy and alleged that Dopah’s previous political affiliations enabled him to manipulate situations for personal gains.
