By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The Mumuye Cultural Development Association, Taraba State has rejected the appointment of a Deputy Chief of Staff, office of the Deputy Governor, to oversee the activities of the office.
The group described the position as “Assistant deputy governor”, and called for a constitutional clarification.
Our correspondent reports that governor Agbu Kefas had on Thursday, appointed Dr Emmanuel Lawson Hassan, as the Deputy Chief of Staff, office of the Deputy Governor to oversee the administrative activities of the office.
Gov. Kefas through, Chief GT. Kataps, Secretary to the Government of the State, Taraba, explained in the letter that the appointment is to ensure effectiveness of governance and articulation of government policies and programmes emanating from the purview of the deputy governor’s office.
Our correspondent reports that the social media had last month become overwhelmed with speculations that Kefas, Taraba State house of assembly as well as the state judiciary, have perfected plans to replace the deputy governor, Alhaji Aminu Alkali, with the state Assembly’s deputy speaker, Hon. Hamman Adama, due to the deputy governor’s prolonged health challenges.
Meanwhile, both the state government and the house of assembly have debunked the claim as false.
However, the cultural group, on behalf of the Mumuye tribe in Taraba, the immediate community of the ailing deputy governor, in a press statement signed by its chairman, Dr Alex M. Malaazee, and Secretary, Ishaku Bitrus Manang, rejected the appointment, describing it as a hidden tactics to wage away the Mumuye ethnic from governance of the state.
“The appointment of a deputy chief of staff, office of the deputy governor to ensure effectiveness of governance and articulation of government policies and programs emanating from the purview of the deputy governor’s office is a clear indication that the state now have an assistant deputy governor. We demand to know the constitutional provision to these regard.
“We demand further clarification from the government regarding the role of the deputy chief of staff. We demand to know what has prompted the sudden need for this position.
“We have viewed these development as a tactics to wage the Mumuye tribe away from governance of Taraba. In the event of the deputy governor’s incapacitation, can’t the permanent secretary in the deputy governor’s office assume the responsibilities until the deputy governor return or otherwise?,” the group queried.
The group called for a constitutional due process and the traditional moral procedures in an event, the ailing deputy governor is to be declare incapacitated and replace with another choice.
It’s insisted that in the matter of such event, the deputy governor should be replace with another Mumuye person as previously done in the state during, Late. governor Danbaba Suntai.
