.Abubakar Bawa, the San Turaki Gashaka, is the Special
Adviser on Political Matters to Governor Darius Ishaku of
Taraba State. In this interview with Correspondent Fanen
Ihyongo, he advances reasons why he is optimistic the
governor will be reelected at the poll next year.
HOW do you see Darius Ishaku’s chances of getting re-elected
in next year’s governorship election?
None of the opposition parties, including the All Progressives
Congress (APC) which is the main opposition party in Taraba
State, has a candidate that is better than Ishaku. In the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), nobody has indicated
interest to contest against him (Ishaku).
What about the likes of Joel Danlami Ikenya and David Sabo
Kente, who may likely seek the APC ticket?
These people cannot stand Darius Ishaku. He will beat them
flat. Recall that Kente came a distant third in the last
election. Former Governor Sani Danladi is from the northern
zone, and the governorship is zoned to the southern zone for
now. Ikenya is politically strong only when he is in the PDP. All
the elections that he won were on PDP platform. When he
contested the governorship in ACN he lost to late former
Governor Danbaba Suntai who was fielded by the PDP.
Has the PDP in Taraba State ceded the governorship ticket to
the incumbent?
We are not stopping anybody from contesting the ticket with
him. We want to make sure internal democracy dwells in the
Taraba PDP. There will be a primary election, and any Taraba
person who is qualified is free to contest. We are only saying
he (Ishaku) remains our best candidate. There is no party
that can withstand the PDP in Taraba State. The PDP is an
opposition in the country, but in Taraba it is the ruling party.
And it has been the ruling party since 1999. So, we believe
there is no other political party here apart from the PDP.
Even if there are other parties, we don’t take them serious.
Besides political parties, Taraba people want someone who
naturally cares for them. And Darius Ishaku is one leader who
has deep love and rare passion for Taraba people; how they
eat, dwell and make progress bother him. For now, he is just
the right person.
The governor’s chief of staff, Rebo Usman, has just resigned
over alleged squabbles between them. There are speculations
too that Ishaku has fallen apart with members of the State
House of Assembly and some key stakeholders who helped in
making him governor in 2015. Don’t you think this is enough to
affect his chances in next year’s election?
I am not aware that he has frosty relationship with Assembly
members or other stakeholders. What I know is that he has a
good rapport with his people. The synergy between him and
Assembly members in the State has also been cordial and
strong. As his political adviser, I can tell you that I am in the
picture of what is going on. So far, the journey for a second
term has not been bad. The governor has always sought the
path of peace and unity, as was exemplified when he
celebrated the Yuletide with all the stakeholders of the State
in his country home –Takum. The governor is really doing his
best to make everyone proud, except a few politicians who
want him to share funds. But he is not the type that shares
money. You heard what he said in Takum on December 26 last
year? Ishaku prefers to do projects and leave behind
landmark achievements than share funds to politicians. Above
all, his challenge is that what he is getting today is a far cry
from what the previous administration was getting. And I
agree with him, it is better to do people-oriented projects
and put smiles on the faces of millions of people than share
State’s funds to please a few. I think the good name he has
earned will earn him a second term.
Do you really see the governor winning the general election if
he scales the hurdle of the primary election?
With God on our side, I think we will triumph at the poll,
because of the governor’s performance and goodwill. I have
been in politics in Taraba State for long. Recently, I went
round the State to do a silent opinion poll, and the goodwill is
overwhelming for the governor. Nevertheless, the PDP is
working hard. The party chairman, Victor Bala, and all his
party executives, are leaving no stone unturned; the governor
is doing his part –by providing developments; and we are
working very hard and still soliciting support from the
electorate to make sure we return the governor for a second
term. The general consensus is that Ishaku should do a second
term. Rev. Jolly Nyame did 10 years from northern zone,
from 1992-1993 and 1999-2007. Late Pharm. Danbaba Suntai,
from central zone, did eight years (2007-2015). So the
fairest thing to do, as it has become our zoning formula, is to
allow Ishaku, who is from the southern zone, to also do eight
years, to complete the rotation. And to the best of my
knowledge, the PDP stakeholders from his area (southern
Taraba) have no other candidate. They have all agreed that
Ishaku has done well. Bringing another person, even from the
same southern zone, will affect our political arrangement.
The northern and central zones are also in full support of the
arrangement to give Ishaku the party’s ticket and
subsequently re-elect him for a second term. In terms of
performance, he has scored a distinction, everyone can attest
to that. That is why Taraba is returning Ishaku in 2019 poll.
What would you say is his biggest achievement that will
attract votes?
All his achievements are big and very important to the people
of the State. He has touched all the sectors tremendously. In
the health sector, he has provided portable water and
reconstructed major hospitals. In education, he employed over
3000 teachers, after renovating schools and colleges in the
State. In agriculture, the Greenhouse is a major revolution.
And in terms of infrastructure, there are many new roads
constructed by his administration to show for. Truth is that
Ishaku’s giant strides in the State are speaking for him. Even
the few who criticise him still whisper behind him about his
unprecedented achievements. The governor has gained an
overwhelming good popularity across the entire State. At the
grassroots, all the villagers know him. Our supporters’ team
has continued to grow. The civil servants who are a significant
composition of the electorate are at peace with him. This is
because of the way he promptly pays their salary and,
generally, handles all welfare packages of workers. But
perhaps, peace is his top priority. ‘Give me peace, I will give
you development,’ is his slogan. He has done incredibly well to
ensure the state has peace, which is paving the way for the
achievements he has provided. Of late there were clashes
between farmers and cattle breeders, but we are doing our
best to negotiate for peace.
What is your take on the herdsmen/farmers crisis and the
anti-open grazing law enforced in the State?
The governor believes in doing everything through peaceful
resolution, while carrying everyone along. He constituted two
committees to educate cattlemen and crop farmers to
cultivate a symbiotic relationship between them. We started
with a workshop involving all the stakeholders such as the real
cattle breeders, crop farmers, traditional rulers and security
agencies, because of the determination of the state
government to gradually implement the law. So, we are doing
it in phases by gradually putting in place all the necessary
infrastructure. And the pace we are doing it is also in
proportion to the available resources. And I don’t think the
farmers/herders crisis will affect the general election in
Taraba. I don’t think so. All of us want peace. Both farmers
and herders want peace and we are trying our best for the
people to co-exist peacefully. We have weighed all their views
and concerns and we are considering the best options. I
believe there will be no problem.