The Taraba State House of Assembly has passed a vote of confidence on the acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, and the Speaker of the state assembly, Hon. Josiah Sabo Kente.
Passing the vote of confidence yesterday on the floor of the assembly, it maintained that the acting governor and the speaker deserved commendation based on the matured manner they have exhibited in handling the affairs of the state.
The development was sequel to a motion brought by under matter of urgent public importance by the member representing Ibi constituency, Hon Mohammed Abdulkarim, which was unanimously passed by the members present.
In the motion, which 16 members endorsed, the assembly noted that Umar and Kente had remained focused in the governance of the state despite several distractions from several quarters, which culminated in the completion, and inauguration of projects initiated by the state governor, Danbaba Suntai.
The members also stressed that the cordial relationship between the acting governor and the assembly was made possible by the leadership style of Kente and his team which has also ensured that both arms of government work together in the interest of the people of the state.
Also, all the four members of the opposition party in the assembly formally announced their defection to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the floor of the assembly.
The members, who were until yesterday members of All Progressives Congress (APC), are the former minority leader, Hon. Ibrahim Imam (Jalingo I), Hon. Aminu Umar (Jalingo II), Hon. Mohammed Abdulkarim (Ibi) and the former minority whip, Hon Yahaya Abdulkarim (Gassol II).
The defection of the four opposition members, who until their defection are being viewed as PDP members by proxy due to their romance with the party finally sounds the death knell of opposition party in the assembly.
Welcoming the decampees to PDP, the Speaker commended them for taking the initiative and assured them that as a political party that gives all members equal opportunity, their interest would be adequately protected.
Meanwhile, as the 2015 general election draws closer, the people of Southern Taraba, in Taraba State have pitched their tent against General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma’s (rtd) choice for the state governorship position.
Though the zone is expected to produce the next governor of the state (with Taraba north and central zones having ruled for 24 years), the people are incensed by Danjuma’s decision to “unilaterally” endorse the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Darius Ishaku, who they alleged was out of touch with political realities in the state, having spent his entire life outside the state.
In a statement signed by the Secretary to Chief Jubrin Anfani-led Committee, Chief D.S. Nyaturi, the people demanded that the former army general rescind his decision in the interest of the people, as it is “unilateral and unpopular.”
Nyaturi said the people of Southern Taraba would stick with the decision of the Chief Jubrin Anfani-led committee, which earlier screened all eligible candidates from the area and had come up with a consensus candidate for the governorship position.
He further said that notwithstanding the reasons behind Danjuma’s perceived unpopular choice, the implication of the widespread anger and protest that greeted Ishaku’s choice was that it might cost the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the governorship ticket.
“Naming the minister as the PDP candidate for Taraba South may likely cost the party the governorship seat if the people’s grievances are not addressed and solved,” the statement said.
When contacted, the National President of the Jukun Development
Association of Nigeria (JDAN), Mr. Benjamin Bako Danborno, said for Southern Taraba not to lose the slot that it had patiently waited for, politicians must honour the sharing formula unanimously arrived at by all ethnic nationalities in the state about four months ago.
He appealed to those he called the “Abuja-based Southern Taraba elders, elite and politicians” to rethink the decision leading to the announcement made by Danjuma and respect the decisions of all the Taraba people.
“Let us all go back to the decision we arrived at four months ago by all traditional rulers, youths groups, market women and religious leaders, who after one year of painstaking consultation across the nation, especially the state indigenes where we arrived at a equitable, just and fair power sharing formula.
“That power sharing formula zoned the governorship slot to Wukari Local Government Area from where the consensus candidate earlier voted to represent them, Chief David Sabo Kinte, hailed from, the Senate slot was zoned to the Kuteg clan, while the House of Representatives slot went to the Chamba tribe of Donga Local Government Area. Other key political offices were shared between the Tiv and Ichen people for political balancing and equity.”
The association, he said, wondered why some politicians have to meet in Abuja to upturn this laudable power sharing formula and misled Danjuma to make an unpopular decision that is generating anger and protest across the state.
Danborno said the association reaffirmed its earlier endorsement of the decisions reached by the elders and people of Southern Taraba and throws its weight behind Kinte, who remained the authentic consensus candidate of the people.
