By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The prolong absence of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku from Jalingo, the state capital, has continued to generate confusion in the state, leading to the exchange of assorted words among APC and PDP faithful in the state.
The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku was last seen publicly in the state on 19th December, 2019 when he presented the 2020 appropriation bill at the state house of assembly.
The governor shortly after the budget presentation traveled out of Nigeria, to see his doctors in the United Kingdom.
According to Bala Dan Habu, the Special Assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku on Media and Publicly, said after returning to Nigeria, the governor was said to have stayed in Abuja under instructions of his doctors.
But the opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress (APC) through its leadership, called on the governor to hand over to his Deputy, Engr. Haruna Manu, and continue with his medical attention in Abuja.
The APC State Party Chairman, Bar. Ibrahim’s Elsudi, also accused the governor of delaying governance in the state due to his absence, he said nothing is functional in the state since the absence of the governor.
In his reaction, the deputy governor, Engr. Haruna Manu, described the APC challenge as, mischievous.
In a press statement signed by his press secretary, Lawan Sani Kona, disassociated the deputy governor from the call by APC and insisted that governance was ongoing despite his boss’ absence from the state.
“The Taraba State deputy governor, Engr. Haruna Manu has noted with dismay the smear campaign going round, especially in the social media by some mischievous persons that Governor Darius Ishaku should handover to him as Acting governor”.
“Deputy Governor Manu has dissociated himself from such agitators and condemned their actions in the strongest possible terms.
“He was nominated by Governor Ishaku to serve as his deputy governor in 2015. He served with all sense of humility and loyalty. Governor Ishaku also in his own generosity of spirit deemed it convenient to carry Engr. Manu along into the second term in 2019”.
“It is therefore, reasonably clear to all that deputy governor Manu enjoys the confidence of his boss and has followed through as a loyal subordinate which many adversaries of the administration are not happy with.
“The unwarranted call by these mischief-makers is no doubt a ploy to cause disaffection within the administration in order to score cheap political goal. Their plans to instigate mistrust within the polity will definitely fail”.
“His Excellency, Governor Darius Ishaku has been discharging the responsibilities of his office creditably well”.
“Just yesterday, he hosted the inaugural sensitization meeting of the Mambilla hydro electricity power project and was also recently at the World Bank regional office, where he sought the Bank’s assistance in the areas of development projects and programmes for Taraba State.
“The strides recorded by the Ishaku administration are enormous.
“These appreciable developments of various types across different sectors in the state are dividends of democracy that Tarabans will continue to enjoy under the rescue mission of Governor Darius Ishaku.
“Rabble-rousers must therefore desist from attempting to distract the leadership or inflame the emotions of the good people of Taraba state.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on its part, also described the call by the opposition as baseless.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the PDP state publicity secretary, Inuwa Bakari.
It further described the claims by the state chairman of APC that nothing is working in the state as diversionary and figment of imagination.
The statement stated that the APC leaders in the state also tried to make an issue of the governor’s stay out of the state.
“We wish to inform the uninformed APC leadership in Taraba State, that they have picked on a no issue because the government of Taraba State is intact and is working ceaselessly.
“Executive meetings are held as expected and even of recent, the executive governor of Taraba State paid a visit to the World Bank and the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria in Abuja, which was aired on Television both national and within the state”.
He describe the accusations made by the APC as an act of insincerity, by which the party (APC) has made it as a policy to see nothing good in all the good work the PDP is doing for Taraba State and its people.
“We have all along regarded the APC as a party with people of conscience and equally extended Olive branch to them severely, for the good of the state even though we know they also know that Taraba State is undisputed home ground for the PDP.”
According to him, the Taraba State house of assembly leadership has the esteemed crop of legislators, so responsive and patriotic democrats who can never be enmeshed in the wishful thinking of a few APC members, who were calling for an action from the house against the executive arm of the government in the state.
Despite the confussion over the governor’s absence from the state, Taraba State house of assembly still passed vote of confidence on the governor and his deputy.
The lawmakers insisted that the governor has done nothing wrong to warrant such statement and therefore sought for a motion for vote of confidence on the governor and his deputy.
The motion was moved by the deputy speake of the House and member representing Bali II, Hon. Harman Adama.
The Speaker of the House and member representing Lau state constituency, Hon. Joseph Albasu Kunini, while reading the resolution which was signed by two third of the house said the vote of confidence on the governor was based on the track record of the governor and his deputy since their re-election last year.
“Since inauguration on 29th of May, 2019, the government of Taraba State under the able leadership of His Excellency Arch. Darius Ishaku has inspite of deliberate distractions been performing its functions for the betterment of the lives of the teaming masses of Taraba State, for instance within the period in question, Governor Ishaku has carefully constituted and inaugurated an all inclusive executive council.
“The governor has reduced to the barest minimum the incessant cases of communal, violence, kidnappings and armed banditry that had bedeviled the state.”
The speaker said key among the achievement of the governor was the consistent payment of civil servants salaries and the recent employment of 300 personnel into the state civil service which have boosted employment in the state.
“By every standard, the governor and his deputy have performed above average within the present circumstances, this house as a representative of the entire people of Taraba State, hereby move and let be resolved by honourable members of the house that a vote of confidence be unanimously passed on the governor and his deputy Haruna Manu”.
The house also debunked any alleged claim of non performance, due to absence from Jalingo the state capital by the governor as the record of performance are for all and sundry to see.
Earlier in his move to clear the doubt over his boss’ stay in Abuja, the senior special assistant to the governor on media and publicity, Bala Dan Habu explained that his boss had a domestic accident and a minor injury on his leg.
A press state released by Bala Dan Habu, described the APC insinuation as “A campaign of hate and acrimony against the person and administration of Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State.
“In the past couple of weeks, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Taraba State, had orchestrated a campaign of hate and acrimony against the person and the administration of His Excellency, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, Executive Governor of Taraba State, taking advantage of the Governor’s prolonged stay in Abuja which was necessitated by an unfortunate domestic accident he had earlier suffered. As a result, His Excellency has had to stay back in Abuja to receive medical attention.
“But rather than show sympathy for the Governor, APC leaders have taken advantage of this unfortunate development to invent and promote all kinds of inanities and outright falsehood against him.
“Some of them have even gone to the ridiculous extent of suggesting that by staying behind in Abuja for medical attention, Governor Ishaku should be impeached. This is proof of how callous APC leaders in the state can be and the extent they can go in their quest for political power.
“We urge the good people of Taraba State, their friends and admirers in and outside the state, to ignore the campaign of falsehood being orchestrated by APC leaders led by Barr. Ibrahim El-Sudi, APC chairman in Taraba State. His Excellency is desirous to return to the state and will do so when he has sufficiently recovered.”
Nasarawa Reporters 