Confirm Maiyamba As Traditional Ruler In Gombe, Middle Belt Forum Tells Governor

The Middle Belt Forum has called on the Governor of Gombe State Muhammad Yahaya not to delay the confirmation of Dr Musa Maiyamba as the new Mai Tangale (traditional ruler) of the state.

Maiyamba who is the newly chosen traditional ruler, is a strong Christian while Governor Inuwa Yahaya, a Muslim, is alleged to have preference for another candidate of same faith.

Dr Bitrus Pogu, President, MBF, urged the governor to allow the will of the people to prevail in the choice of the traditional ruler irrespective of religious sentiments.

” It is the population that matters, everybody knows the Tangale people are predominantly Christians but even in Kathulgo the traditional ruler is a Muslim and they are living with him and the other parts of Tangale land have traditional rulers, who are Muslims.

“But these people decided to elect a Christian this time, what is the problem with that? It is not a political but traditional position, ” Pogu said, while addressing newsmen in Abuja at the weekend alongside Secretary General of Tangale Community Development Association, Abuja branch, Mr Simon Brief.

Also speaking, Secretary General of Tangale Community Development Association, Abuja branch, Mr Simon Brief, called on the governor to do the needful by announcing Maiyamba as the new king having scored five out of the nine votes cast by kingmakers.

Brief lamented that the governor’s recent actions appear to relegate Christians in the state to the background.

While condemning the violence that trailed the protest over government delay in announcing new Traditional Ruler , Brief said the people of the area have been living peacefully irrespective of their faiths and warned against instigation of religious crisis in the land.

He said, “This struggle is not an issue of religion because the immediate past Mai Tangale was a Christian, who got elected after a Muslim died and that Muslim inherited a Muslim seat, Dr Iliyasu Maiyamba, then came Tafida Iliyasu Maiyamba all Muslims.

“We have never had it bad. We never fought ourselves because a Muslim or Christian is the one coming and it won’t happen this time around except somebody want to instigate it, and we dare say that any effort or attempt to truncate the will of the people will be met with serious resistance.

“We are ready, we are not a fighting community but when you are pushed to the wall and you have anywhere to escape, you have to push back to get a road to escape.”