For a politician who had campaigned vigorously and indefatigably that he would replace crisis-ridden Taraba with economic development if he was elected, the ultimate judicial clearance which he got from the Supreme Court against the All Progressives Congress'(APC) Senator Aisha Alhassan, afforded him the greatest opportunity to fulfill his avowed message of ‘peace and development.’ Given the extreme political currents, suspense and tension that were released across the polity while Mama Taraba was battling Governor Ishaku, using the judiciary, there was this suspicion that the Presidency under Muhammadu Buhari would manipulate ‘things’ to work in favor of the staunch APC member. Even as Governor Ishaku ‘s electoral fate was still being assessed within the first week of assuming office in May 2015, he started tackling the perennial water scarcity in the capital city of Jalingo, by releasing funds to the Taraba State Water Supply Agency.
By Igbotako Nowinta
Unfortunately for ex-Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State, the plane crash which he miraculously survived in 2012 led to his forceful sojourn outside the shores of Nigeria for medical assistance.
Suntai’s long absence from home backfired when several political interests and forces in Taraba sprang up to make a point about the future of the state vis-a-vis the non-availability of the democratically elected governor.
Taraba State instantly found itself on the national headlines when the frail-looking, visibly unfit and tired Governor was made to return to Jalingo, supposedly to prove to doubting stakeholders that he could still function in his exalted position.
In the end, Suntai could not take over obviously because the accident had mercilessly messed up his health and in the process he lost grip on power and one event and the other cropped up that engulfed the state in unnecessary political tension, bad blood and civil unrest.
To put in in proper terms, peace gradually eluded the state as pro-Suntai supporters and other political interest groups retreated into the ugly theatre of hatred and bitterness; as the then Acting Governor did not help matters because of his own peculiar selfish agenda.
Then, in December 2014, a former university lecturer, ex-Minister of state for Niger Delta Affairs and pragmatic politician having studied the unpleasant political situation in Taraba State decided to dare the murky governorship race, in order to make a positive impact.
Darius Dickson Ishaku had to abandon his lucrative political job by resigning from the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s Federal Executive Council to slug it out with other aspirants, first within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
When he eventually travelled to Jalingo to obtain the PDP nomination form to indicate his absolute seriousness about his governorship ambition he did not hesitate to declare thus:
‘‘What I intend to do is to change things. We want to bring back peace. We have to do things that would be of benefit to the state. We have to redirect things.”
As a trained urban town planner, Darius Ishaku brought his vast experience to bear on his governorship aspiration, before long his mantra became: “Give me peace. I will give you development.”
Because he had carefully studied the delicate situation on the ground in Taraba, he instantly won the hearts of his supporters within his party and his message of peace and development became a tonic for universal acceptability as he was eventually made the flag bearer in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.
It was not surprising when the tested architect succeeded in winning the race in a grand style, in the face of stiff opposition from Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan, popularly known as ‘mama Taraba.’
Mama Taraba (now Minister for Women Affairs), indeed is a big political tiger who immediately took on Darius Ishaku; that he was not duly elected as the flag bearer of PDP in Taraba State to contest the gubernatorial election; that she should be declared as the authentic Governor of the State instead.
Governor Ishaku, like a political Daniel, fought the battle of his political life down to the nation’s apex court (Supreme Court), where the Justice Bode Rhodes-Viviour, leading other Supreme Court panelists in 2016, affirmed the earlier judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal that he was the true winner and elected Governor of Taraba State in the 2015 Taraba state governorship election.
For a politician who had campaigned vigorously and indefatigably that he would replace crisis-ridden Taraba with economic development if he was elected, the ultimate judicial clearance which he got from the Supreme Court against the All Progressives Congress'(APC) Senator Aisha Alhassan, afforded him the greatest opportunity to fulfill his avowed message of ‘peace and development.’
Given the extreme political currents, suspense and tension that were released across the polity while Mama Taraba was battling Governor Ishaku, using the judiciary, there was this suspicion that the Presidency under Muhammadu Buhari would manipulate ‘things’ to work in favor of the staunch APC member.
Even as Governor Ishaku ‘s electoral fate was still being assessed within the first week of assuming office in May 2015, he started tackling the perennial water scarcity in the capital city of Jalingo, by releasing funds to the Taraba State Water Supply Agency.
It is pathetic to state that Jalingo was without water for about ten months, but with prompt repairs of equipment and adequate refurbishment of existing facilities dry taps hurriedly started to gush out with water.
Without waste of time, he extended the ‘running tap scheme’ to places like Pampetel, Garin, Sule, Madashi, Bashom, Mishali and Bashin, where multiple bore holes were sunk for the people. Jalingo Motor Park and the Mechanic Village that experienced lack of water earlier were included in the ‘water rain.’
With clever collaboration with the Africa Development Bank (AFDB), extension of water pipelines are being constructed and finalized in Taraba State as of today.
In partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees ( UNHCR) and UNIDO, the Lunga Nuri Hydro Electricity has been brought to life, which is now serving Kakara community. The resultant effect is that small scale businesses have sprouted in the area and adjoining suburbs.
Governor Ishaku released N300 million to PW Nigeria Limited, that has necessitated the opening up of the Ball-Serti-Gembu road that leads to the famous Chappal Wali Mountain Height (highest in the Federal Republic of Nigeria); Gashaka Gumti National Park (largest games reserve in West
Africa); Mambila Plateau High Land Tea (the only Tea Plantation in West Africa).
Gigantic transformer has been installed with capacity of 7.5 megawatts in Wukari Business District, with 50 pieces of transformers also put to use across the state.
Jalingo now enjoys 18 megawatts of electricity, thanks to the positive engagements the current state government had with officials of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
Taraba State Road Construction Maintenance Agency (TARCMA) has been repositioned; the implication of this is that several roads/bridges are being built in the state. The Mambila Beverages Production Company has been revived.
The current administration’s efforts in the area of Internally Generated Revenue are commendable with modern technological devices/ facilities put in place to block previous leakages/corruption.
This has impacted positively on the economic activities, most especially in the Mambila Plateau area.
The present conducive political situation is encouraging investors to Taraba to engage in tourism, industrialization, mining, agricultural activities, etc.
Above all, ‘peace’ which was one of the cardinal points which Governor Darius Ishaku promised in 2014 when indicating his interest to govern the people of Taraba has returned to the state.
For the first time in the history of the state, Governor Ishaku succeeded in holding a peace meeting with the people of Wukari and Takum; peace/security related meetings have being held (still) being carried out among communities/stakeholders in the grassroots/local governments areas with traditional rulers fully represented.
Who says this state, created on August 27, 1991by General Ibrahim Babangida has not come of age with an urban town planner conveniently seated as the number one citizen?
Who says this Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Architect (FNIA) and Member, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (MNITP) is not touching lives in Taraba with his daring positive people-oriented mantra?
If you ask me, Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku has done well so far, and he should be encouraged in any way possible never to deviate from his avowed peaceful and developmental strategy.
Nowinta wrote: Where We Are – A Call for Democratic Revolution in Nigeria
