ONE-MAN SQUAD: THREE MONTHS AFTER SWEARING-IN, TARABA STATE GOVERNOR DARIUS ISHAKU AND 19 OTHERS REFUSES TO APPOINT COMMISSIONERS IN THEIR STATES

Secret Reporters

As nine out of the twenty-nine Governors across the country celebrate 100 days of remarkable achievements in office after the 2019 elections having appointed Commissioners in accordance to the law, the Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku and 19 others may only have economic stagnation and infrastructural deprivation as their sole achievements.

In a letter written to the Taraba State House of Assembly by a Jalingo based lawyer and human right activist, Barr Bilyaminu Lukman Maihanchi, SecretReporters learned that Darius Ishaku who was sworn into office on May 29, 2019, following his supposed victory at the polls has been running a one-man show in the state following his refusal in appointing and swearing-in Commissioners after more than three months into his administration, a violation of Section 192 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution.

However, Ishaku is not the only one who has turned the affairs of the state into a one-man business investment, SecretReporters can report authoritatively, as Governors of Nassarawa, Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Niger, Plateau, Zamfara, Yobe, Gombe as well as Enugu, Osun, Cross Rivers, Kwara, Ogun, Rivers, Taraba and Abia State are not left out of this charade.

In blatant defiance of section 195 (1) of the 1999 constitution which provides that “there shall be an Attorney General for each state who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the state and Commissioner for Justice of the Government of that state”, Gov. Ishaku chose to join the bandwagon of lawbreakers who have also usurped the powers of the judiciary in the state with their vehement refusal in appointing an Attorney General and Commissioners in their state.

With the likes of Nyesom Wike of Rivers State appointing just two Commissioners, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State who seems to be proficient in appointing persons criticised by Crossriverians as  Commissioners have resorted to running a one-man show in other to clear his name, others have kept mum.

On the other hand, findings showed that Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has also refused to appoint Commissioners due to fears that he might be sent packing from the government house following the weight of the case filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Election Petition Tribunal challenging his victory at the polls.

“Since the inception of the Governor’s second tenure, his government has been operating without a Chief Law Officer & Commissioners as constitutionally guaranteed, and it’s a duty-bound constitutionally for the Governor to hold regular meetings with his Deputy Governor and all Commissioners of the Government for the performance of his functions. His failure or refusal to appoint an Attorney General, with his Commissioners and to hold regular meetings for 3 months is an act of gross misconduct in the performance of his office and call for his impeachment” the lawyer stated.

More so, due to the absence of an Executive Council in the state as provided for in the constitution, a source who spoke to our correspondence squealed that these Governors has usurped the powers of the judiciary and Commissioners and has begun high-level looting and embezzlement of public funds through the award of fake and suspicious contracts to his cronies and loyalists who act as the conduit pipe through which the money is funnelled to personal accounts.

“…the act has negatively affected the welfare of the people of Taraba State, a larger percentage of the people who voted for the Governor thinking that he will work assiduously towards their betterment are disappointed and regret ever voting him in the first place”. Bilyaminu also stated.

Having termed the action of these Governors as a case of gross misconduct, the Jalingo based human right activist called on the State House of Assembly to immediately expedite actions towards the impeachment of Gov. Ishaku within seven (7) days in other to prevent him from further breaking every known law in the state.