By; DEKERA NICHOLAS, Kaduna
The National Mumuye cultural development association (NMCDA) on Wednesday distanced itself from a purported media publication, published on February 7, 2021, calling on Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba to immediately remove Mr Anthony Jellason the Taraba Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
Mr Foku Gaddas, the Acting National President of the association disclosed this to journalists in Jalingo.
Gaddas called on Ishaku and the people of the state to disregard the publication as no Mumuye man or group spoke to journalists in that regard. “The attention of Mumuye leaders under the umbrella of National Mumuye cultural Development Association, (NMCDA) has been drawn to the media publication against the person of Mr Anthony Jelason, the secretary to the Taraba government.
“We as leaders and stakeholders of our dear state, are saddened with a national daily publication of Sunday, 7/2/2021, inciting the Mumuye people against the person of Jellason, calling for his removal as the state SSG.
“We want to state here very clearly that Jellason as SSG, is not a Mumuye representative but a state servant who is part of the rescue drive of gov Ishaku to ensure the overall development of state.
“We are calling on Ishaku and the good people of to disregard the publication as it is totally false, stage to cause unnecessary confusion and tannish the good name of the SSG and his position in the society.
“We want to point out here that the name mentioned in the publication Mr Monkey Bitako whom the reporter claimed to have spoken to is a forged name that does not exist in mumuye tribe.
According to him, the Mumuye people were 100 per cent in support of gov Ishaku’s administration, and we are fully behind Jellason to ensure the success of governor Ishaku.
“How can you say the SSG is not representing the Mumuye people when he is a state wide representative.
“Jellason has been striving hard for the progress of the Mumuye communities, we remember the role he played when there was ethnic crisis among few tribes in the state and now the warring communities are at peace with each other.
Gaddas urged the national daily to retrack the publication within 7 days or face legal action from the Mumuye people.
He appealed to Jellason not to be distracted as the reporter was only looking for cheap recognition, as no Mumuye man or group has at any forum gave him such information.
