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There is no need for a protest that is politically motivated, considering that Governor Darius Ishaku is already on the side of the people in providing them with dividends of democracy. This call was contained in a press statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Emmanuel Bello.
The statement reads in part: “I want to admonish our people not to listen to politicians who want to take advantage of a national matter and call for civil disobedience. It is unfair to single out Governor Darius Ishaku for a protest, seeing that he is doing all in his power to weather the storms of a global economic meltdown in the state. Taraba can’t be insulated from a recession caused by an APC government. Even with the circumstances of his entry as a governor, Arc. Ishaku has done a lot compared to many of his mates. He has been paying salaries as and when due. He had been dealing with a perennial water supply problem in Jalingo and beyond. He has been working hard on housing, road construction, industrialisation like in the revival of the Kakara Highland tea that is generating jobs and opportunities.
According to him, those calling for the protest had other motives beyond the people’s welfare. He said, “when Taraba was mindlessly looted under one acting governor, we didn’t see these protest leaders. When our state was at crossroads, we also didn’t also see them. But now that they know they have lost politically, they want to rally people around touching issues.”
Bello further noted that the public should not be deceived by spurious statics. “The protest champions are quoting a figure of over 50billion naira as monies received by the government which wasn’t utilised. First, these are funny allusions. Secondly, even if these are the exact amounts, Tarabans should break them to monthly subventions and see how much government spent on salaries alone each month and still tries to meet its obligations in security, development and social welfare. The fact that the protesters can blatantly try to deceive people is a sign of how desperate they have become. Right now they are using subterfuge, threat and blackmail into getting people out.”
Bello, who was former commissioner of information, said the governor has the interest of Taraba people at heart and has not given the resources of the state over to foreigners. “These are mere accusations against the governor. I would urge the people to scrutinise these claims. They shouldn’t take the words of the opposition people for it. We are not so simple as to be brainwashed.”
