Ex-Minister faults priest for not allowing Gov Ortom ‘lie’ in church

A former Minister of State for Education, Prof. Jerry Agada, has faulted the Catholic diocese of Gboko for not allowing Governor Samuel Ortom make a remark during the recent birthday celebration of Senator George Akume.

Agada said that it was disrespectful, not only to the governor, but also to the people of the state, whom he represents, as the move offends their sensibilities.

The church had allegedly prevented the governor from making a remark at the 64th birthday ceremony of the former governor held in his country home, Wannune in the Tarka Local Government Area.

According to some unconfirmed reports, the officiating priest had said that the church could not in good conscience allow the governor speak, when it knew he may likely tell a lie, as politicians are fond of doing.

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But Agada, who spoke at a press conference in Makurdi, said the refusal of the church to allow the governor speak at the event was biased.

He argued that it was wrong for the church to allow Akume, who is also a politician, speak at the event, while denying the governor an equal chance.

According to him, if the church had made a law banning politicians from speaking, there would not have been any query with its decision not to allow Ortom make a speech.

He added that from what he knows about the governor, he would have respected the ban.

‘’But an instance where you allow Sen. Akume who is a subject of the governor to speak and deny the governor the opportunity to do same, then it is not fair. I think it was done based on primordial reasoning and I condemn it,” Agada said.

Agada, who is also the chairman of the Benue State Civil Service Commission, reminded the church that it was not operating in isolation and that it was under the jurisdiction of the state.

 

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