By Peter Duru, Makurdi
A religious group, the Forum of Concerned Christians, FCC, have decried what it described as the politically motivated sustained smear campaign against the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, His Lordship, Wilfred Anagbe.
The group cautioned those behind the act to desist as it would not fold its hands and watch anyone insult the Bishop and the church in the name of politics.
In a statement issued on Thursday and jointly signed by the President of FCC, Bro. Augustine Aende and Secretary Mr. Oliver Shaminja the group noted that “as a group made up of members of various Christian denominations united for the common interest of ensuring justice for all Christians, we find the sponsored media attacks on His Lordship as a very dangerous and unacceptable development.”
Part of the statement read, “our investigation has shown that most of those insulting Bishop Anagbe on social media have Fr Alia’s image as their profile pictures. What does the APC candidate, a priest of the Holy Roman Catholic Church want to achieve with the torrents of insults being rained on the Bishop by his supporters? How do the hatred and insults translate to votes for him in next year’s election?
“Bishop Anagbe did not ask Alia to leave the priesthood and join politics, so how is the Bishop liable for his suspension?
“We expected Alia to be telling Benue people what he has to offer, not embarking on a campaign of calumny against the Bishop and other people. So far, he has failed to convince us on why we should trust him.
“The APC governorship candidate is showing too much desperation in his ambition. He doesn’t have to pull down the whole Benue State to be governor. Attacking Benue sons who have made a name for themselves simply on account of the fact that they hold contrary opinions is not healthy for democracy.”
The group recalled the insulting songs allegedly composed by the APC in the state to denigrate the likes of Senator Barnabas Gemade, Chief Mike Aondoakaa and Prof. Terhemba Shija who though stalwarts of the party are challenging the outcome of party’s governorship primary election stressing that such was unacceptable.
“We join the Makurdi Catholic Diocesan Laity Council to advise Alia to leave Bishop Anagbe and other Benue sons who have refused to be hoodwinked. He must call his social media urchins to order. His Lordship the Bishop did not advise APC to conduct a disputed primary election for Alia. The Bishop neither had a hand in the numerous court cases instituted against the APC candidate by his party members.”
Reacting however, the Director Communications, Alia/Ode Campaign 2023, Mr. Kula Tersoo distanced the APC governorship candidate from the said attacks saying, “Alia has never insulted or sponsored any media attack on His Lordship the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Wilfred Anagbe or any other person, including his opponents and other politicians.
“Alia belong to the Catholic church as a priest. He holds the sanctity of the church and it’s line of authority in very high regard.”
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