Taraba Facts

The President of the Court of Appeal Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa is to determine where the appeal filed by Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State would be entertained, The Nation gathered Monday. Usually, the Court of Appeal in Yola, Adamawa State has the jurisdiction and entertains the appeal cases from Taraba. But with the sitting of the Tribunal in Abuja on security concerns in the North Eastern region, it was not clear where the appeal would be treated, and only Bulkachuwa can decide on the venue. Ishaku filed an appeal for the appellate court to set aside the judgment by the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja which dismissed him from office and handed the governorship to his opponent Aisha Jummai Alhassan. The Taraba State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Yusufu Akirikwen Monday said the legal counsel of the governor, headed by Joseph Dauda, has filed three notices of appeals which were already begging for treatment by...

‎ Former Defence Minister, retired General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has called on the people of Taraba State to stop the killings going on in the state and rather embrace the acquisition of knowledge to be able to attract rapid development to the state. Danjuma made the call during the public presentation of Jukun Language Curriculum and the presentation of service award to some illustrious Nigerians held in Wukari, Taraba State. “I want to call on all of you to stop these incessant killing of your brothers and sisters and embrace knowledge to foster development in your community. “The world today is knowledge-driven, but you will all agree with me that knowledge cannot strive in the face of killings and destructions to property,” he said. Represented by a former Minister of Water Resources, Obadiah Ando, Danjuma challenged the sons and daughters of the state to assist the newly established Federal University, Wukari, to enable it attract development to the state. - Today ‎

TWENTY-FOUR years after its creation, public schools in Taraba State according to researchers, are still cup in hand begging for a face -lift from the relevant authority. Several public schools at both primary and secondary levels, they observed “ are in dilapidated condition following government lukewarm attitudes towards the sector.” The situation according to Raymond Enoch of the Center for Environmental Education and Development often made students and pupils from the state to come behind in national examinations and competitions. The research sponsored by the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) noticed that basic teaching aids like computers, rulers, diagrams, chalk board, current textbooks, registers, lessons plans, schemes of work and regular supply of lessons note books are no where to be found in the public schools. The research, which was yesterday publicly presented to stakeholders in the state at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Teacher...

Ahead of the Appeal Court Judgement on the governorship election in Taraba State, a youth group from the State has called for peace and calm, despite the outcome. The National Association of Taraba State Youth Stakeholder Forum, at a press briefing in Abuja, expressed resentment over the ruling of the election petition tribunal which sacked the state governor, Arc. Darius Ishaku. Speaking on behalf of the group, the national coordinator, Joseph Bulama Kwagh, decried the breakdown of law and order especially in Wukari and its environs where lives and properties worth billions of naira were lost and destroyed. He said “we the youth are peace loving and law abiding citizens of Taraba State which is the most peaceful in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria and understandably, the indispensable leaders of tomorrow.” ‎ He however warned trouble makers to desist from fomenting crisis no matter the outcome or the result at the Appeal Court Follow Us on Twitter @TarabaFacts for Insta...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears stuck with its plan to appeal against the recent decision of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that nullified the April election of Mr. Darius Ishaku as governor of the state. The party, according to an investigation, has been unable to get the support of those aggrieved by its handling of the governorship primaries before heading to the appeal court. It was gathered that the party fears that unless the aggrieved men put the past behind them and agree that contrary to the position of the tribunal, there was indeed a primary election in which they participated it might be futile going to the higher court. Party sources told  The Nation  that the delay in filing the appeal might not be unconnected with the inability of the national and state leaderships of the PDP to get its governorship aspirants in the state to forget the past. The Nation  learnt the PDP is unsure of how to handle the refusal of t...

In Taraba, Microsoft certified system Engineer is Ishaku’s deputy At 42, the deputy governor of Taraba state, Alhaji Haruna Manu is about the youngest person to occupy such position in the state. He is a graduate of Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a holder of master’s degree in Electronic Commerce from the prestigious Graduate School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University in the United States of America. He is also a Microsoft certified system Engineer. Alhaji Manu was born in Mutum- Biyu, the headquarters of Gassol LGA in 1973. Prior to his political career, Alhaji Manu is better known in the private sector as he is an accomplished international and local business man. He spent many years in the United states of America where he established chain of business, mostly in wireless and satellite communication before returning to Nigeria. Back in Nigeria, he worked at the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) as well as MTN Nigeria communication Limit...

The Taraba State governor, Arch. Darius Ishaku has filed an appeal against the judgement of the Taraba state election petitions sitting in Abuja. The tribunal had about three weeks ago remoeved the state governor and declared his opponent in the election, Hajia Aisha Alhassan of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the election. In the appeal, the governor is challenging the powers of the tribunal to base its ruling on pre- election matter. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Sylvanus Yakubu Giwa, said the governor’s action is to ensure that he meets the stipulated 21 days in the electoral act. Governor Ishaku also restated his believe in the ability of the judiciary to stand on the truth that he was sponsored by the PDP and that he is the actual winner of the governorship election. Many are of the view that the tribunal lacks such powers as it is not provided for in the Elctoral Act 2010 as amended. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the...

‎ The Wukari Federation of Muslim Ummah has appealed to the Federal Government to take urgent step to put an end to incessant crises in Wukari area of Taraba State in which scores of people have lost their lives and properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed. Briefing journalists in Abuja on yesterday, the president, Wukari Federation of Muslim Ummah, Malam Saany Sule Sale said the latest in the crises occurred on Sunday November 8, 2015 when some unknown gunmen stormed the Muslim community in Wukari and other surrounding villages in Gindin Dorowa, Jibu and Chinkai and in the wake of attack some residents were sent to their untimely graves. Sale said the timely intervention of the military on the day “saved the Muslim population of the town from total annihilation limiting their casualty figure to eight person, 20 seriously wounded and over 400 commercial buildings belonging to Muslims totally destroyed.” Sale said the attack which started in 2013 has resulted in the deat...

Minister of Women Affairs and Governor-Elect, Sen. Aisha Alhassan Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, popularly known and addressed as Mama Taraba, has grabbed the headlines in Nigeria’s socio-political hemisphere in recent months and for all the right reasons. Born on 16th September 1959 as Jummai Ibrahim Abubakar in Jalingo, Mama Taraba’s political clout has been on the increase and went even several knots higher since the last general elections in Nigeria, when she contested for the office of governor of her home state, Taraba. She was tipped to win the election and become the first democratically elected female governor in Nigeria’s history, but that glory was derailed briefly through the election malpractices antics of the People’s Democratic Party. That election has since been overturned by the Taraba State Election Tribunal, and pending the judgement of the Appeal Court, Mama Taraba’s history-making ascension seem to be on course again. The tribunal nullified the...

The UTCiaya Amana Political Movement has describe former Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar UTC as the major victim of the political robbery perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in ”its alleged sham primary election”, while also denying its participation at the purported primary where Dairus Ishaku was selected as the party’s candidate. Coordinator of the movement, Jinadu Yawe in a statement said PDP members in Taraba state were clearly and brazenly denied their right to select candidates of their choice for the election. The statement said embattled Governor, Darius and his followers were clearly aware that they could not win the primaries against Garba Umar UTC on home soil, “so in the process of stealing the mandate committed nauseating blunders that has returned to haunt them,” the statement said. It further said that if primaries were held anywhere without the knowledge of relevant authorities and lawful delegates, it should be declared unconst...

A group known as Taraba Volunteers for good governance has assured Tarabans that the appeal court would revise the ruling of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that sacked the incumbent governor from office. Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the chairman of the group, Alhaji Abdulkadir Zanzago said the tribunal’s ruling was as an affront to democracy. He stressed that in line with Senator Aisha’s pleadings, the tribunal would have dismissed her petition on the ground of incompetence after she had proceeded to aver facts inconsistent with her grounds of petition. He explained that the ground of her petition which challenged the nomination and sponsorship of Governor Darius Ishaku was deemed abandoned in line with her pleadings to the contrary, as was held by the appellate court in Amosun vs Daniel. He informed that the judgement of the election tribunal was an attempt to rob the good people of Taraba State of the mandate given to Go...

…denies participating in ‘fake PDP primary’ The UTCiaya Amana Political Movement has said that former Acting Governor of Taraba, Alhaji Garba Umar UTC was the major victim of the political robbery perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in its sham primary election, while also denying his participation at the purported primary where Dairus Ishaku was selected as the candidate. Coordinator of the movement, Jinadu Yawe in a statement said PDP members in Taraba state were clearly and brazenly denied their right to select candidates of their choice for the election. He said embattled Governor Darius and his cohorts were clearly aware that they could not win the primaries against Garba Umar UTC on home soil, “so in the process of stealing the mandate committed nauseating blunders that has returned to haunt them,” Yawe said. He said if primaries were held anywhere without the knowledge of relevant authorities and lawful delegates, the primaries should a...

The Taraba State chapter of the coalition of APC Support Groups has said that senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan will still clinch victory at the appeal court. Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the chairman of the group, Hon Jossy Maika said the declaration of senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan as the duly elected governor of Taraba State by the State Governorship Election Tribunal has laid to rest the notion that a woman can never become a governor in the country. He stressed that the recent tribunal’s judgment that ordered governor Darius to vacate office would encourage women to seek elective positions and remove the restrictions that have laid them back from vying for certain elective posts. He added that the tribunal’s ruling was a victory for all women in Taraba and indeed Nigerians. “Let Tarabans and Nigerians learn how alway stand by the side of the truth, we all know that the PDP were the one who brought problem to themselves. They willingly refused to cond...

Mariya, one of daughters of former Taraba state governor, Danbaba Suntai will on Dec. 11th marry her man, Shehu Abdullahi in Abuja. She shared some of their pre-wedding photos on her Instagram page and wrote about why her husband-to-be loves her. Continue.. "What better way to start this morning than with a little story lol. When @attijany told me he loves me, I asked him why in the hopes of out smarting him. If he had said cos of the way I behave or look or dress or cos of how smart I am or something materialistic I would have had the perfect response for him. I would have said that's just infatuation. Or it's not reason enough to spend the rest of your life with someone. But that's not what he said to me! He said, and I quote “I don't have any specific reason for loving you, I just love you for the sake of God” honestly I was dumb struck by that statement. I was like wow that's kinda amazing lol. It however took me about a month after ...

As the efforts by the Catholic Bishops from Taraba and Benue to broker peace between the two states which have hitherto not known peace for some time gathered momentum, JUSTIN TYOPUUSU writes on the initiative of the religious leaders in restoring peace. The persistent border crisis between Taraba and Benue states and some internal crisis in the two states may soon be over if efforts by the Catholic bishops of the two states in bringing about lasting peace is anything to go by. The peace initiative which was conceived by a small group of young men under the auspices of “Concerned Taraba Tiv Youth Frontier” and supported by Rev. Fathers and Pastors from Taraba State, got a boost with the intervention of the Catholic Bishop of Jalingo, The Most Rev. Charles Hammawa and his counterpart in Gboko, Most Rev. William Amove Avenya. Taraba and Benue states have recorded series of crises at one time or the other and presently Taraba is faced with serious security concerns ...

The 2015 general elections may have come and gone, but the activities before, during and after the elections are still very fresh in the minds of people of Taraba State, especially when viewed against the backof the recent tribunal ruling, which sacked the incumbent governor, Darius Ishaku and returned Hajiya Aisha Alhassan as winner of the poll. Since that ruling, discussions in the state have been centred on the political affairs as it is capable of changing the trend in the state. Many questions have dominated the political arena, with some asking if the Taraba ruling is the end of godfatherism era among others. People of the state were beginning to settle to life after the 2015 elections when the tribunal ruling suddenly changed the mood. The electorate, irrespective of party affiliation, are now watching and wondering. What next for the major contenders Taraba, like every other state in Nigeria, has its political peculiarities. Undoubtedly, some of those peculi...

Thousand of women came out in Jalingo, capital of Taraba state to express their solidarity for the Women Affairs Minister and Governor -Elect, Sen. Aisha Alhassan following the Nov. 7, 2015 tribunal verdict that declared her the duly elected Governor of the state. A woman leader in the state  Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim speaking at an event to mark Aisha's victory said the gathering of the women which cut across religious divide  was to reaffirm their support and encouragement to Sen. Aisha in her struggle to get back the mandate bestowed on her by the people of Taraba. She said contrary to the insinuations being peddled by some politicians in the state that the heavens would fall  when Hajiya Aisha is sworn-in as governor should she win the appeal against the tribunal judgement,  there is unity and peaceful coexistence among the people. In her address , Mrs Ladi John observed that those trying to fan the embers of ethnicity and religion on the verdict of th...

The Nigerian Voters Assembly (VOTAS) has said that the recent ruling of the Taraba State election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja, will deepen the nation’s democracy. The tribunal had declared Senator Aisha Alhassan winner of the April 11 election and ordered the removal the Taraba State governor, Darius Ishaku. President of the group, Comrade Mashood Erubami, said the tribunal ruling validating Senator Aisha Alhassan as governor-elect of Taraba is in consonant with best standards and conforms with the Electoral Act. “It is heart warming and timely, coming at a time when Nigerians are looking up to the judiciary to confirm its place among nations upholding the rule of law. It is worthy of note that the judgement trailed other judgements that reversed elections results to rightful winners against those that INEC had earlier declared as witnessed in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States”, he said. He added: “The number and nature of elections results upheld and reversed is a confirm...

A non-governmental organisation, Taraba Mandate Group (TMG) has tasked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to wade into the Taraba State election petition tribunal which “arbitrarily” nullified the election of Governor Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The group at the weekend described the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal as a rape of democracy and a direct affront to the people of the state who voted for Ishaku. The group in a statement signed by Gani Bako said: “As law abiding citizens of Nigeria, we are wondering why the National Judicial Council (NJC) has not found the courage to invite and prosecute the judges who almost truncated democracy at the Taraba governorship tribunal. The NJC has not deemed it fit to make a public pronouncement on the ongoing controversy. “Is it that the NJC is satisfied with the outcome of the ruling in spite of the worldwide condemnation? Can the NJC say it has not received sufficient proof of judicial fraud f...

It was William Penn, an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania who once said, “Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains.” It was not surprising therefore, to see some people applying the same principle of patience and diligence to remove the mountain of poverty and chart their way to endless flow of wealth. However, notable among some privileged Nigerians who fought and successfully conquered poverty and is now feeding with a golden spoon is General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd). TY Danjuma, as he is popularly called, is in the Forbes list of rich Africans. In fact, Forbes report of 2015 estimates Danjuma’s wealth to be $1.1 Billion. Forbes also believes that he is the 22nd richest man in the whole of the African continent. He had his early education at Saint Bartholomew’s Primary School, Wusasa in the old Gongola State, now Taraba, before proceeding to the famous Benue Provincial Secondary School, Katsina-Ala in B...

Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, has stated that he would defeat the APC candidate, Aisha Alhassan, if elections were conducted many times. The election petitions tribunal had declared his candidature in the April 2015 governorship poll as illegal, saying the PDP did not conduct the primary in line with the 2010 electoral act. The tribunal declared Alhassan, fondly called Mama Taraba as winner of the election. On Friday, Ishaku after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa to discuss the security situation in the state following the verdict, said: “The important thing for us as leaders is that our first duty is to protect lives and properties. “I am quite sensitive to any unrest and I have told my people to be patient, peaceful law-abiding and allow the judiciary to do its work. “I have gone to election two times and the second was a bit more than the first and I am on the third election now. I am so confident if I contest 10 times I will win...

The interim governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, on Friday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja where they both met behind closed-doors. The governor later told State House correspondents that he was at the Villa to brief the president on the security situation in his state and to abreast Buhari "with the happenings". "So far, we thank God everywhere is calm. There is peace everywhere and I came to update him (Buhari) to let him know we are doing our best to keep the state in a peaceful atmosphere". The Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar had on November 7 ‎declared Aisha Jumai Alhassan of the All Progressive Congress (APC) winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship election in the state. The tribunal, having held that there was no valid candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that contested the election, had ordered the immediate swearing-in of the APC candidate....

 The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Taraba state  has been advised not to waste its time and energy going to the appeal court over the ruling of the governorship election petition  tribunal which removed governor Darius Ishaku. Publicity Secretary of the party Mr. Napoleon Adamu who was expelled from the party recently for supporting the verdict of the tribunal said the party was the architect of its own problem  for refusing to conduct the governorship primaries in Jalingo, Taraba state capital  as required by the law. He said he cautioned the party against conducting the primaries   in Abuja  but that no one listened to him. Adamu said there was a time when he announced that all elected delegates should assemble in Jalingo for the governorship primaries but that the state chairman Mr. Victor Bala Kona asked the then police commissioner to  invite  him to his office for questioning. He said he was held for over six hours answer...