Discordant tunes over CAN’s endorsement of Ishaku in Taraba

A group, Taraba Muslims/Christians Youth for Peace, yesterday faulted the Taraba State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over its recent endorsement of Arch Darius Ishaku of the PDP as its governorship candidate. Leader of the group, Jinaidu Garvey Yaweh, in Jalingo, maintained that CAN as a religious body ought to remain apolitical in order not to polarise the state along religious lines. “We expected both the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Muslim Council to have remained neutral and preach to their members to vote for candidates of their choice in the forthcoming elections, given the fact that both Muslims and Christians are contesting the various positions in the state”, he said. Yaweh said that the endorsement was capable of causing disaffection amongst adherents of the two religions in the state, advising that CAN as a body should denounce the endorsement and remain impartial. He commended the Catholic Society of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Women Wing of CAN for disassociating themselves from the said endorsement, adding that Taraba electorates should vote for candidates of their choice in the forthcoming election, irrespective of religious sentiments. But another group, Taraba Voters Watch, defended CAN, saying that as an independent association, CAN was not wrong in endorsing the candidature of Darius Ishaku.