By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The Peoples Democratic Party ward returning officers in the just concluded Jalingo, Yorro and Zing Federal constituency by-election, have dissociated themselves from embezzlement allegation against Hon. Amino Hassan Jauro, the Jalingo local government chairman.
The electoral official in a press statement signed by Nasiru Mustapha, returning Officer for ‘A’ Ward, Ibrahim Jungudo Manga returning Officer for Sintali Ward, Hon. Emmanuel Kini, returning Officer for Yelwan Abbare Ward, Hon. Bashir Suleiman, returning Officer for Kachalla Sembe Ward, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, returning Officer for Sarkin Dawaki Ward and Hon. Moses Stephen Chamang returning Officer for Kona Ward, expressed that the allegation was just mere political blackmail, targeted at tarnishing the good name of the council chairman.
Our correspondent reports that the electoral officials were reacting to a publication by a Taraba-based online news platform (Taraba News), which claimed in one of her publication last week that the Jalingo PDP wards returning officers in the by-election have accused Hon. Jauro of embezzling the money that was allocated as allowance for the PDP wards returning officers.
However, six out of the ten returning officers said the allegation was falsehood, targeted at blackmailing the council chairman as he did not receive, neither embezzle the money allocated as allowance for the PDP wards returning officers for Jalingo local government in the house of Representative by-election.
“We the returning officers of the PDP wards in Jalingo, hereby address the misinformation, propagated by an online news platforms (Taraba News), and a WhatsApp group of the same name. The platform publication, accusing Alhaji Aminu Hassan Jauro, the Jalingo local government chairman of embezzling funds designated for paying the wards returning officers during the Jalingo Yorro and Zing February bye-election is falsehood.
“It’s also an unfounded claims attributed to Engr. Sadiq Abbas Tafida, the Rep member for the constituency confirming the allocation of allowances to the Chairman or the Jalingo local government PDP Chairman in his presence as claimed by Mr Hamza Yettoe and his associates. We urge the public to disregard the report as it is baseless, falsehood targeted at blackmailing the council chairman.
“To provide clarity, the allowances for the ten PDP wards returning officers in the by-election were not included in the payment templates during the election process, and was made clear to all parties involved. The delay in payment is not the responsibility of the Jalingo Local Government Chairman who is rather working hard to ensure the payment.
“We want to state here that those behind the accusations are motivated by personal grievance having failed to secure positions as councillors or appointments within the Jalingo Local Government administration. They are backed by certain groups in Jalingo who are unhappy with the developmental efforts of Governor Agbu Kefas administration and that of Alhaji Aminu Jauro Hassan,” the statement read.
