An aide to the Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, has explained why his principal has been away in Abuja for close to two months now.
Bala Abu, on Friday, said the governor “is receiving adequate medical treatment for a domestic accident.’’
Mr Abu, a senior special assistant, was reacting to calls for the governor’s impeachment “for abandoning his duties”.
He said Mr Ishaku’s continued stay in Abuja does not in any way constitute an impeachable offence.
Mr Abu, who did not elaborate on the nature of the ‘domestic accident’, said the governor is recuperating.
The governor’s aide described those calling for the governor’s impeachment as “unpatriotic people who were only bent on promoting inanities and outright falsehood.”
“We urge the good people of Taraba, their friends and admirers in and outside the state to ignore the campaign of falsehood being orchestrated by some people.
“His Excellency is desirous to return to the state and will do so when he has sufficiently recovered,” he said in a statement.
According to Mr Abu, the governor’s absence had not affected governance in the state “in any negative way”.
“No aspect of governmental activities has suffered a setback as a result,” he said. “All government projects are going on smoothly and government has continued to meet its obligations to contractors while progress is being monitored by appropriate government ministries and officials.”
He said the 2020 budget “was being implemented with vigour while salaries of workers, pensions and gratuities are also being paid promptly”.
“It is therefore wrong and misleading to suggest that the Governor’s absence has affected morale of civil servants and governance in the state.”
According to him, it was wrong to claim that the governor had breached Section 190 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by not transmitting power to his deputy.
“The said section of the Constitution 190(2) speaks of transmission of power only when the Governor proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office.
“In this case, the Governor is not on vacation and he is not unable to discharge the duties of his office. He has been conducting his official duties diligently.
“Government activities are not at a standstill. Governor Ishaku has not breached any part of the Constitution.
“He remains focused and irrevocably committed to peace and the socio-economic development of Taraba State,” Mr Abu said.
