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Tag: Taraba State

  • FG faults Senate’s approval of N90.2bn reimbursement to Delta, Taraba

    The Federal Government has faulted the approval of N90.2 billion as reimbursement for contracts executed on behalf of the Federal Government by Delta and Taraba.

    In a letter dated 5th of March 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari said that the sum approved by the National Assembly was in excess of the amount approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)

    The letter read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki reads:“ I wish to inform the Senate that we have received approval of the National Assembly via letter ref: NASS/CAN/106/Vol.11 /004 dated 29th January 2019 for the refunds to Delta and Taraba States governments through the issuance of Promissory Note for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government.

    “The Senate may wish to note that following a review of the approval from the National Assembly the following were observed:

    “1, While the Federal Executive Council (FEC)approved a total sum of N78,601,631, 430.16 as reimbursement to Delta and Taraba State Governments, the National Assembly approved N90,236,461,031.36 which is higher than the amount approved by the FEC.

    Read also: Four feared dead in fresh Jukun/Tiv clashes in Taraba

    “2,The National Assembly did not approve any reimbursement to Bauchi and Kogi States Government whereas the FEC had approved reimbursements for them.

    “The Senate may note the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 which empowers the Bureau of Public Procurement to approve vendors and contract sums.

    “The amounts presented to the National Assembly for approval were duly certified for reimbursement by the BPP before they were approved by FEC.

    “Since the BPP is charged with the responsibility of approving contract sums and there is need for compliance with the BPP Act 2007, I wish to request that you forward to us details relating to the amounts approved by the National Assembly for Delta and Taraba States in excess of what was certified by the BPP, for necessary certification and approval.

    “Meanwhile, the Federal Government shall proceed with implementation by reimbursing the amount approved by FEC.

    “Furthermore, I wish to request that you review the reimbursements earlier submitted in favour of Bauchi and Kogi State Governments. “

  • INEC presents certificates of return to Taraba governor, others

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Wednesday issued the Certificate of Return to Governor Darius Ishaku and his deputy, Haruna Manu.

    Speaker of the Taraba State 24-member House of Assembly, Peter Abel Diah, also received his Certificate of Return.

    All the winners of the House of Assembly polls, including Mark Useni, representing Takum II constituency, were given the Certificate of Return.

    The documents (Certificates) were given at the INEC Conference Hall, Jalingo -the Taraba state capital.

    The governor, who contested on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had polled 520,433 votes in 12 of the 16 local government areas to defeat Sani Abubakar Danladi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who trailed him with 362,735 votes.

    Speaker Diah, who also won in PDP, had polled 14,814 votes to slam his closest rival of the APC who got 7,842 votes.

    The INEC Resident Commissioner, represented by the administrative secretary, said the certificates were given in compliance with Section 75 of the Electoral Act 1999.

    He congratulated the poll winners and urged them to serve in the interest of the people who voted them into office.

    Read also: INEC presents certificates of return to 26 Ekiti lawmakers- elect

    Receiving the Certificate of Return, Ishaku asked for peace to enable him perform.

    He said: “When I make a promise I keep it. All the promises I made in 2019 electioneering campaign shall be kept.

    “I will ask for what I requested in 2015: Give me peace and I will give you development.

    “Peace is the antidote for development because there can never be any development where violence thrives.

    “Ask all the communities that gave me peace -they are enjoying developmental projects I provided.

    “In Taraba state, the potentials are huge. Thus, all hands must be on the desk for us all to tap it,” he said.

  • My re-election is to heal the wounds in Taraba, says Ishaku

    Taraba state Governor, Darius Ishaku has said that he sees his second coming as an opportunity for him to heal all the ethnic, socio-political and religious wounds in the state.

    He dedicated the election to Taraba people who, he said, turned out in numbers to decide in his favour.

    Ishaku, who spoke to journalists on his victory, condemned the “hooliganism” used by politicians during the polls.

    He said: “The campaigns for the elections, in a way, have shaken the foundation of our unity as a people. Peace that we all labored collectively to achieve was gravely threatened on the altar of sentiments that we need not promote.

    “We all owe ourselves, particularly the generation of young Tarabans, the duty to downplay such divisive tendencies and work together assiduously for the unity and progress of our dear state.

    “To members of other political parties who contested the election with us, I commend your courage and efforts. In politics, as in all games involving contestants, there is always a loser and there is always a winner.

    Read Also: Ishaku re-elected as Taraba governor

    “My reelection is to heal the wounds of divisions in Taraba state. Therefore, I extend the olive branch across political borderlines to build a relationship that will enable all of us serve our people creditably.

    “Service to the people is the ultimate goal of politics and governance. Nothing must be done to undermine that concept of our roles and duties as leaders of our people.”

    The governor revealed he was happier winning a second term, because “it shows I have served the people well and they want me to continue. It is better to serve than to be served.”

    Ishaku, an architect, revealed that his second coming was to “consolidate” on the gains of what his administration did in the first four years.

    “The first term was a foundation laying stage. Now, we are going to erect the building and provide the roof to complete the structure,” he said.

  • Post-election: CAN wants warring factions to sheathe swords

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Taraba Chapter, on Saturday called on warring factions in the violence that broke out in Jalingo following the announcement of the governorship election results in the state to sheathe their swords.

    Dr Innocent Solomon, the CAN Chairman in the state, made the call after a tour of the affected areas in Jalingo and a sympathy visit to the victims at the Specialist Hospital and the Federal Medical Center in Jalingo.

    Solomon assured the people that CAN and the Muslim Council were working closely with the State government to restore peace in the state.

    “We condemn the violence that broke out at the declaration of the governorship  election results in the state, and in Jalingo in particular.

    “Crises have never done any good to anybody in any society across the world.

    Read Also: Election: ‘Anglican Church committed to better Nigeria’

    “Our politicians must call their supporters to order and join hands with us in preaching peace.

    “We want to call on our political leaders to eschew violence and work for the peace of Taraba,” he said.

    While commending the role of security operatives in ensuring the return of peace in the state,  Solomon called for the release of those arrested in the wake of the crisis being kept in military facility in Jalingo, as a measure toward ensuring peace.

    “The continuous detention of those arrested in the military facility in Jalingo without being charged to court is raising concern among the people.

    “We made efforts this morning to see the Commander of the military in Jalingo, but we were told he wasn’t on seat,  but I am sure he will cooperate with us in finding solution to this problem,”he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CAN Chairman, who was accompanied on the visit by the state executives of the association, prayed for the victims and made cash donations to them.

    NAN

  • Innocent people are being killed because we won election, Taraba govt cries out

    The Taraba State government yesterday cried out that innocent people were being killed since the day Governor Darius Ishaku was declared winner of the governorship election in the state.

    The Commissioner for Information, Simon Dogari,  who briefed reporters on the incidents trailing the outcome of the election, said the attacks were being masterminded by the opposition parties who lost at the polls.

    He said the attacks were intended to give the impression that the governorship election in the state was not credible.

    Dogari said: “There have been several cases of attacks on innocent and defenceless people in Jalingo by miscreants hired and armed by those who lost the elections.

    “Their intention is to create tension and anarchy in the state such that the impression would be created that the elections were not credible.

    “The state government is happy that this motive has not been achieved. We give the credit to God and to all the good people of Taraba State who have ignored the call to arms and have in various ways helped to defuse tension rather than yield to the temptation to react violently.

    “The elections were generally free, fair and peaceful. There were no major incidents, as voting took place in all the centres.

    Read also: APC, PDP take INEC to task

    “It is also instructive that one of the major contestants in the gubernatorial election, Senator Aisha Alhassan, also rated the election as free, fair and credible, even though she lost.

    “Yet, the main opposition group has embarked on a mission of organising armed youths to confront people who came out in their numbers to celebrate the PDP victory.

    “The most unfortunate and dangerous dimension to this campaign was the religious colour their group tried to assign to the crisis.

    “It is disheartening that a man who is aspiring to a high position of leadership of this state would resort to religious bigotry to achieve his ambition.

    “Again, we thank God and the larger section of the populace for refusing to cooperate with him to cause more tension and damage to lives and properties.”

    He said that Governor Darius Ishaku “deeply appreciates the contributions of all the good people of the state in achieving peace and wishes to thank everybody, including Christian and Muslim leaders, who have been part of the peace building process.”

    The state government said it would ensure that all law abiding people are protected in order to go about their lawful activities without molestation.

    “Governor Ishaku also wishes to remind all of you that peace is the bedrock on which every positive human endeavour can thrive, hence his peace mantra: Give me peace and I will give you development.

    “We urge you to refuse to be used as political thugs, to shun violence and all forms of drug abuse and to support the government to build that future you deserve.”

  • Ishaku sure of victory, calls for peaceful guber polls

    Governor Darius Ishaku has expressed confidence he will be re-elected in free, fair, peaceful and credible ballots in Taraba state.

    He spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, urging the people to go out in numbers on Saturday, March 9 and vote.

    Ishaku who is flying the flag of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), advised his supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during voting.

    He alleged that his main challenger and the All Progressives Congress (APC), knowing they will lose in a serene atmosphere, were plotting violence for the polls to postpone.

    Read Also: Ishaku gets PDP flag, ready for 2019 poll

    “I am aware of all their plans -they don’t want the election to hold. But my concept is that peace should always reign in whatever we do. Peace is a prerequisite of the development Nigerians are yearning for.

    “You are a journalist, it is your job to educate the electorate about their civic responsibility, by telling them to go out and vote on the election day. They should vote peacefully; they shouldn’t fight; they shouldn’t quarrel,” he said.

    Speaking on what he expect to be the outcome of the gubernatorial poll in Taraba come Saturday, Ishaku said he expects an easy ride, given his performance, which he said has earned him several awards.

    He noted that the election is one of the principal features of democracy, and democracy is about the people, of which the people are the government.

    Ishaku said a win for him means consolidating the gains of the “Rescue Agenda” of his administration in the first four years, which he described as a “foundation laying stage.”

  • 1. 7 million PVCs collected in Taraba – INEC

    A total of  one million, seven hundred and thirty three thousand, four hundred and seventy nine (1,733,479) Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected by the electorate in Taraba state ahead of Saturday’s presidential and national election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Thursday.
    Spokesman of the commission in the state, Fabian Yame, who briefed reporters in Jalingo, disclosed that the total number of registered voters in Taraba state were 1,777,105.

    Read Also: INEC working for PDP, says Oshiomhole

    He said: “1,733, 479 have been claimed by their owners as at the end of the collection exercise on Monday. 43, 626  PVCs are yet to be collected.”
    He added that an additional 428,727 new voters made a difference between the total number of registered voters in 2015 and 2019 elections.
    According to him, “then number of registered voters in the 2015 general elections was 1,348,358, while those for the 2019 general elections is 1,777,105.”

  • Buhari sends SGF, others to console families of 8 dead Taraba supporters

    President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha to Taraba state to commiserate with families of eight supporters that died during the All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential campaign in Jalingo, the state capital.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, he also condoled with the government and people of the state over loss of lives that attended last week’s loss.

    Other members of the team included Governor of Adamawa (a neighbouring state to Taraba) Mohammed Bindow; Senator Ali Ndume; Mallam Mohammed Bello, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Dr Ali Isa Pantami, Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.

    Senator Yusuf A. Yusuf, a Taraba stakeholder, also joined the team.

    At the Taraba Government House, where the team was received by Governor Darius Ishaku, Boss Mustapha, speaking on behalf of the President, lamented the sad loss of eight people during and after the rally, promising that they would not die in vain.

    Read also: Fashola to SERAP: we have no record of runaway contractors

    The SGF said: “President Buhari will continue to focus on public good and welfare of the people. The eight people would then not have died in vain.

    “They represent the good of our people and country. They wanted good governance as symbolized by President Buhari, so they turned out to welcome him at the rally.

    “As we go to the polls, let’s exercise the civic responsibility with zeal, but also with decency and restraint. The country is our own, and we must preserve its oneness.”

    Ishaku expressed “sincere gratitude and thanks to Mr President for promptly sending a delegation to condole with us,” adding that the people of Taraba were grateful for the show of concern.

    He prayed the souls of the dead would rest in peace, stressing: “Peace is my mantra. I stand by it any day. I am thankful that Mr. President, who is firstly my elder brother before being my president, came to Taraba in peace, and left in peace.”

    An official letter of condolence personally signed by the President was presented to the governor by the SGF.

    At the palace of the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas Tafida, the leader of the delegation condoled with the monarch and the people on behalf of the President, praying that God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

    The Emir said it was President Buhari that needed to be condoled, since he lost his supporters, who loved him dearly.

    At the family home of one of the deceased where the relations of other victims had congregated, the names of the dead supporters were read out.

    Alhaji Haruna Kawuwa, who lost his wife, Safiya, at the overcrowding that attended the rally, thanked President Buhari for remembering and condoling with them at their time of sorrow.

    The delegation also visited the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, where prayers were said for the quick recovery of the injured on admission.

    On hand during the visit, among many others, were Taraba APC chairman, Barrister Ibrahim El-Sudi, who also got a condolence letter from the President; the APC gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Sani Danladi, his running mate, and other party chieftains.

  • Buhari mourns loss of lives at APC rally in Jalingo

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed profound sadness over of loss of lives at the All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential Campaign Rally in Jalingo, Taraba State on Thursday.

    Reacting to reports of the tragic death of some APC supporters due to the overwhelming crowd at the Jolly Nyame Stadium, the President said: “I always feel very sad and distressed when ordinary Nigerians who love me and our party because of what we stand for and have done, make personal sacrifices by taking the pains to show their support, end their lives tragically.”

    Read Also: Presidential poll will be walkover for Buhari, says El-Rufai

    While appreciating the massive support he is receiving all over the country, President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also called for restraint on the part of his supporters to avoid such tragic incidences and improved crowd management at rally grounds.

    “I want them to stay alive and witness the dividends of purposeful governance that the APC administration will unfold when they renew our mandate,” he said.

    Commiserating with the families of the victims and the APC family, the President prayed Almighty God to grant peace to the souls of the departed and speedy recovery to the injured.

  • Buhari to Tarabans: I will complete Mambilla hydropower project

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday promised the people of Taraba State he would complete the Mambilla hydropower project, if he is re-elected.

    Buhari spoke at the Jolly Nyame Stadium during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential and governorship rally in Jalingo -the Taraba State capital.

    “The Mambilla hydropower project is the main project that will bring accelerated development in your State; it will generate enough electricity for you to do businesses and improve your living standard. I will complete it, if you re-elect me,” he said.

    Buhari, who recognized the fact that Taraba is an agrarian State, said he will tackle poverty and make sure Taraba farmers access fertilizer at subsidised rate during cropping seasons.

    He disclosed he would continue his fight corruption and will make sure he fights Boko Haram to finish.

    “No religion permits corruption, violence and injustice,” Buhari noted.

    Read Also: Buhari restates commitment to develop Nigeria

    APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, described Buhari as the only honest man among the presidential candidates.

    He said the PDP had died and decayed since 2015 and should not be expected to resurrect at the polls.

    He said: “PDP will fail. They had fallen and they died in sin. The Bible tells us that he who perishes in sin shall never resurrect.”

    The APC national chairman received decampees. Among them were: Emmanuel Bello (former Public Affairs aide to Governor Darius Ishaku), Abba Akawu, (former commissioner of Poverty Alleviation) and Emmanuel George (former Special Adviser to the governor on Youths Development).

    Sani Abubakar Danladi, Who is the Taraba APC standard bearer, called on Taraba people to come out in mass and vote for Buhari on February 16.

    “Taraba is APC, and Buhari and I are going to win Taraba,” Danladi said. He urged President Buhari to “provide enough security at the polls, to ensure the election is not rigged.”