Taraba Group Cautions Tiv Leader, Threatens Vote of No Confidence
By Our Correspondent
A non-governmental association, Taraba Tiv Integrity Group has cautioned the President General of the Taraba State Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Mr James Baka over what it described as ‘abuse of office as well as other unwholesome attitudes”that are capable of projecting the Tiv people of Taraba State in bad light.
The group made this known through a press release signed by its leader, Mr Henry Z. Yohanna and made available to news men in Jalingo.
Some of the unwholesome attitudes, the group alleged, are joining of an ethnic based coalition, known as Kuteb-Tiv Coalition, without the consent of the Associations’ executive members in particular and the Tiv of Taraba State in general.
The release stressed that such an attitude is contrary to the association’s mandate and its key focus, which is building peaceful existence across the various ethnic groups in the state.
“What the President General of our revered Cultural Association, Mr James Baka has done presupposes that, the Tiv of Taraba State are interested in building a cordial relationship with only one ethnic group to the detriment of others. This is contrary to the mandate of the association and the goal of its executive members presently constituted.
“We want peace and peaceful existence more that any ethnic group in the state. We know what we are going through as a people. Therefore, we cannot afford to drift into partisanship and primordial sentiments, choosing who to embrace and who not to. At this juncture, for us to survive as a people, every ethnic component is important to us, be they Kuteb, Chamba, Fulani, Jukun, Jibu, Hausa and so forth.
“There is freedom of association. We are not against any person or group of persons joining any coalition of their choice. But in the circumstance, the President General joined the coalition in that capacity, which by all forms indicate that the entire Tiv of Taraba State are into it. This is fraudulent, an abuse of office and betrayal of trust. We wish to distant ourselves from that show of insensitivity.”
The leader of the group, Mr Henry Z. Yohanna, who is also the Organizing Secretary of the said association, accused Baka of constituting a shadow committee that runs the activities of the association, where they take key decisions affecting the Tiv people of Taraba State, without involving members of the state executive.
“We are also surprised to see arbitrary manner he is running the office, carrying along few individuals in the name of elders, where in most cases they are young people that did not fit into the elders’ category. He is also interfering with the affairs of the traditional leadership, causing a lot of tension among our people and expanding the gulf of unity that we are fighting tirelessly to entrench. His role in Gangumi, Garbabi Chiefdom, Gashaka Local Government Area and Dan Anacha in Gassol Local Government is still fresh in our minds. As we write this briefing, the Wukari Local Government Area branch of the Association is slugging out in the court of law, the first of its kind in the history of the association, due to the unwholesome attitude of the President General.” The release added.
The group cautioned the President General of the Association, Mr James Baka to desist from such unwholesome attitudes that is diminishing the lofty objectives of the Association and embarrassing the Tiv people of Taraba or risk a vote of no confidence.
The Taraba Tiv Integrity Group, according to the Mr Henry Yohanna, is aimed at promoting the socio-political values and coordinating the political aspirations of the Tiv people of Taraba State.
He therefore emphasized the need for synergy with various ethnic groups in the state for peaceful existence and political benefits, among other objectives.
