By CEPHAS IORHEMEN

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom and his predecessor Senator Gabriel Suswam were at the weekend reportedly stopped from speaking inside the church by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Bishop William Amove Avenya during a requiem mass for the burial of the elder brother of Senator Gabriel Suswam, Chief Terkura Suswam who was killed by gunmen.

The mass was held at St. Athanasius Catholic Parish Anyiin in Logo Local Government Area of the state and officiated by Bishop Avenya alongside other ministers of God.

A source close to the Bishop who spoke to New Telegraph in confidence said the order for the duo not to make any statement became indispensable as “it was not captured in the proceedings of liturgy in requiem masses”, adding that “the order was a deliberate move to stop them (Ortom and Suswam) charging the atmosphere and turning the church into political arena to make empty promises to provoke God’s anger”.

“The order and proceedings of liturgy in requiem masses doesn’t give room for a speech outside the chief celebrant. There is absolutely no room for a speech, those giving room are only violating the liturgy’s proceedings,” said the source.

But the position of the Bishop has incited political reactions in the social media with close aides of the governor allegedly throwing punches at the Bishop accusing him of inviting the governor earlier to celebrate his birthday inside the church but denying him (Ortom) the same place again to speak.

Governor Ortom, in a swift reaction to the order, said he will not join issues with the Catholic Priest. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Sunday Tribune)

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