Tiv to Taraba govt: Declare emergency rule

Tiv people of Taraba State yesterday called on the state government to declare state of emergency to enable the return of those displaced during the crisis that rocked the state a year ago.

President of Tiv Cultural and Social Association, James Nungwa, disclosed this in Jalingo while addressing a press conference to debunk the purported endorsement of governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the coming election, Chief David Sabo Kente, by some persons on behalf of the association.

The Tiv and Jukuns were forced to flee their homes in thousands following outbreak of the crisis that rocked the state over a year ago. 

Nungwa, who said over 500,000 displaced Tiv people have fled the state and were taking refuge in shabby and unconducive open grounds and public primary schools in neighbouring Benue and Nasarawa states, however, called on the government to declare a state of emergency for them to return and vote in next month’s elections.

The association’s president debunked the purported endorsement of Kente by David Mtuhwem and Atem Ansho on behalf of the Tiv in Taraba, describing the action as a “mischief by people seeking political relevance.”

He said the purported endorsement of Kente was not the collective decision of the entire Tiv people of the state.

“Elder David Mtuhwem and Hon. Atem Ansho are not leaders of Tiv community as reflected in the media reports. They are not excos of the Tiv umbrella body or leaders of Tiv in the state.

“The executives of Tiv Cultural and Social Association or the congress have at no time in a meeting of the association, taken a decision to endorse a particular candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state. Ansho and his group are only speaking for themselves and their political interests,” he said.
According to him, Tiv in the state are very large and cannot be restricted to a particular political party.

He stated that Mtuhwem and Ansho lacked the capacity to speak on behalf of Tiv people in the state and warned those behind the endorsement of Kente to stop dragging the name of the association into politics to avoid confusion in the state.