Tiv Cultural Association Disassociates Self From Frivolous Petition.

Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has stated that Taraba State is now more peaceful than when he took over as the Governor of the State.

Governor Darius Ishaku stated this when the Tiv Cultural and Social Association paid him a courtesy call yesterday in his office to appreciate him for what he has been doing to Tiv Communities in the State since he became the Governor.

Darius Ishaku appreciated them for the solidarity and said his administration has developmental plans for the people of the State, particularly Gassol area which is a fertile ground for agricultural activities and advised them not to give the devil the opportunity to destabilize the already existing peace in the area asserting that for every good plan the devil is always against it and tasks them to work assiduously towards sustaining peace in their respective domain.

The Governor intimated the Tiv Community of Gassol that he is working with his colleague and counterpart, the Benue State Governor to ensure that all the border areas of the two States are adequately patrolled to ensure safety of all the people.

He reiterated his resolve to turn the State around by engaging the people productively in order to discourage idleness which he said is often the main reason for brewing restiveness and challenged them to also work towards ensuring peaceful coexistence in their respective areas and to accord him the desired support so that he will be able to transform the State for the better.

Earlier in his speech, the president of Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Goodman Dan Dahida told the Governor that they are in his office to officially disassociate the Tiv Cultural Association from the Petition purportedly written by a group of 27 persons from Dan Anacha on the pages of National Dailies.

Goodman Dan informed the Governor that the Tiv Culture is the umbrella body of the Tiv people in the State, explaining that the Association chose not to engage in a media war with the perpetrators, but rather disassociate themselves from the misleading petition, which is capable of pitching the Tiv people of Taraba against the Government.

The President of the Tiv cultural and Social Association maintained that as an umbrella body, the decision of the Association is binding on all Tivs in the State and added that none of the Association officials was a party to the said petition neither was any Tiv leader in the areas mentioned.

He maintained that the group that petitioned the State Government were the group that were against the power shift to the Southern part of the State and likened their attitudes to that of Judas in the Bible which he stressed does not in any way represent the collective decision of the Tiv people.

Similarly, Goodman intimated the Governor that even the traditional rulers that the petition emanated from their domain are part of the delegation and mentioned their names as, Ter Tiv Gassol, Zaki Simon Erentsa and the Mai Angwa of Dan Anacha, Zaki Daniel Mbaterem.

The State Tiv president lamented that the opposition party is catching in on the petition by sponsoring the petitioners to cause disaffection among the Tiv people of the area and have equally perfected plans to hire lawyers in order to sue the State Government on the alleged change of name from Dan Anacha to Kwararafa.

Accordingly, he maintained that the association believes in dialogue in resolving issues and not being confrontational and called on the State Government to disregard the petition, which he described, as embarrassing to the Tiv people of the State.

Speaking further, the President of the Tiv Cultural Association thanked the State Governor and his wife, Barr. Anna Ishaku for the help rendered to the displaced Tiv people in the areas of relief materials and medication in Dan Anacha IDPs camp and solicited for more, saying that the people are still in need of more assistance and support.

He mentioned that the immediate needs of the Tiv people is how to improve on the existing peace in all the villages and assured the Governor that the Tiv people are solidly behind his administration and will accord it the desired support to succeed.