Taraba gov vows to appeal sack, as residents celebrate judgement

                            

                                                Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State

Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State has said that he would appeal the verdict of the Elections Petitions Tribunal which sacked him and declared Sen. Aisha Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress(APC) as winner of the 2015 elections.  Ishaku disclosed this at a press conference on Saturday in Jalingo while reacting to the tribunal’s judgement and called on the citizens of the state to remain calm and be law abiding.

The governor said he believed that the court of appeal would reverse the judgement and give him back his victory. The judgement was greeted with wild jubilation by her supporters in Unguwangadi, Magami, Kasuwan-Yelwa, Sabon-Gari and Nyamu Sala areas.

They defied heavy security presence and stormed the streets chanting, “Sai Mama, “Maman Taraba oyoyo” to show their happiness over the judgement. However, the Public Relations Officer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr. Napoleon Adamu, told newsmen that people in the state should accept the verdict and cooperate with the winner in the interest of the state.

He explained that flexing muscles after the judgement would not be in the interest of the state.

Also commenting on the ruling, the state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Hassan Ardo, said the judgement was a victory to democracy, adding that judgement from tribunals in other parts of the country showed clearly that the judiciary was up to the task of protecting democratic tenets in the country. Meanwhile, the Taraba Police Command has warned that it would deal decisively with any individual that attempted to foment trouble in any part of the state.

The spokesperson of the command, Mr. Joseph Kwaji, also warned that nobody should hide under the guise of celebration to cause trouble. He said that the command had put in place adequate measures to maintain peace. The spokesman said the command had deployed several men to Wukari, Takum, Donga, and Bali areas to ensure that there was peace. There was relative peace in Jalingo, the state capital, as business activities continued unimpeded.

daily trust