Governor of Taraba State, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, recently spoke with some journalists on the nullification of his mandate and some developments in his state. Managing Editor, Northern Operation, YUSUF ALLI, captures the session. Excerpts:
The Taraba State Election Petitions Tribunal nullified your election because you were not nominated as Governor of Taraba State and that your opponent should be sworn in. Did this verdict take you by surprise?
The verdict was not only a surprise but total disappointment in view of the fact that the main issues before the tribunal were not considered except for the promotion of trivialities. As a matter of fact, the issues before the tribunal were purely election issues, but regrettably, the tribunal in its judgment picked a pre-election issue. By this singular act, one can easily conclude that certain interests are coming to bear in the judgment. It is a calculated attempt to deprive me of the people’s mandate to lead them. I contested the primaries under the platform of the PDP and won. I was presented with the party’s flag as a mark of recognition as its candidate for the last polls. Therefore, it will be out of place for someone or the tribunal to insinuate in its judgment that I never contested the primary or I was not validly the candidate of the party.
Why didn’t the PDP primary take place in Taraba?
Truly speaking, the PDP primaries did not hold in Taraba. The PDP resolved to conduct the primaries in Abuja the Federal Capital on security grounds. Emphatically, during the period of the primaries, Taraba was experiencing security challenges which as a result informed the conduct in Abuja to avert any breakdown of law and order.
With the tribunal sitting in Abuja and not Taraba for security reasons, are you feeling justified by the PDP decision to hold the primary in Abuja over security concerns?
I must confess that the action of the tribunal to shift its sitting from Jalingo the Taraba State capital as provided for by the Electoral Act to Abuja on security grounds is not different from what the PDP did during the conduct of its primary. In view of the foregoing, I feel justified. Issues of insecurity are not issues that can be taken for granted because human lives cannot be compromised for anything, election inclusive.
An INEC official said the commission was not present at your primary and therefore could not confirm that you indeed held a primary. Did you think this played a role in the tribunal’s verdict?
Although, I don’t think the testimony of the INEC official at the tribunal played a role in the verdict, but I am optimistic there was a ploy to undo me by bringing into play the issue of primary and leaving out the election which is the main issue at stake. Sometimes actions like this, exhibited by the tribunal on this case, leave more to be desired as justice was thwarted outright to promote certain interests at the expense of democratic principles.
Many people are condemning the verdict. The governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, said it cannot stand before God and men. Are you surprised by the general reaction?
I am not surprised or perplexed by the sporadic general reaction in many quarters concerning the judgment of the tribunal, because many people including educated and non-educated believed the tribunal erred in law by picking or dealing with pre-election issues rather than the election which was the main issue that was brought before it. To be candid, the last election was won by me in a landslide after having fulfilled the requirements as prescribed by the law. The PDP on which platform I won the last general election had earlier presented my name to INEC as its sole candidate and it was on this basis that I was cleared to contest the polls. The PDP had only one primary and I was the candidate.
Many people expected you to appeal but do you really think you have a good reason to appeal?
It is true that many people expected me to appeal the judgment on the grounds that it does not reflect justice as provided for in law. As a result of this action coupled with my personal conviction that justice was not given by the tribunal in my case, I have decided to appeal the judgment to get justice as well defend the people’s mandate at the polls.
APC said PDP is paying for impunity and this is responsible for the tribunal verdicts. Do you think that is a correct reading?
The insinuation by APC that PDP is paying for impunity is false. PDP laid the foundation for sustainable democratic practice on the principles of law and good governance and as such cannot be accused of impunity after losing power to the APC despite the characteristics and other factors that came to play during the last election.
Your opponent, Minister Aisha Alhassan, is a woman and would be the first elected female governor in Nigeria if she wins her case. Will you say this is a factor in the support she is getting from some Nigerians?
It may be one of the factors responsible for the support Aisha Alhassan who contested the election with me is receiving, but I want to say that the much propaganda her supporters are making on the issue in the media, especially the social media which had so much promoted falsehood on the issue among others reasons are contributory factors. As a matter of fact oftentimes, the issue of religion is another factor her supporters are using to attract sympathy from different quarters for her.
What is the message to your supporters as you seek to retain your mandate through the judicial process?
My message is simple and direct. Since election is not made to divide or fan embers of disunity or disaffection among the people, but a means of selection or election of leaders for effective leadership for the attainment of developmental goals, it therefore behooves the people to remain calm and law-abiding during and after every issue involving litigation.
I am appealing to the people of Taraba State to adhere strictly to the rule of law which guarantees peaceful living beneficial to all and sundry. I will not relent in pursuing peace with all men, including my enemies so that a platform which will guarantee good development will be actualised.
Election petitions apart, what has changed in Taraba since you became governor?
I have restored water supply in the state capital, raised the power supply from two megawatts to 18, ensured peaceful co-existence among the various communities who were hitherto ravaged by communal and ethno-religious feuds, mobilised construction firms to resume work on the Jalingo, Kona and Bali-Serti to Gembu roads, among others.
What are your plans for the state?
My plan for the state is to open it up to development and make it compete more favourably with other advanced states that have made it.
What is your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari so far?
I assess him as a man who wants to also contribute his own quota for the development of Nigeria for posterity, hence his policies and programmes, even though they are yet to mature.
