Taraba 2023: Simple logic made complex by hawks

By Apex News Exclusive Last updated Mar 15, 2023 0

Hon. Danladi Baido

By Anthony Maliki

Without much gainsaying, the political landscape in Taraba State especially concerning the 2023 governorship election seems to more dire than in most states of the federation.

What would have been a smooth and peaceful campaigning and election, is now turning into a plaza of hate and disaffection across the state.

Now, no one is sure about the turn of events in the few days towards to March 18, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly polls. It is very sad indeed.

Intra-party scheming had led to the exist of Hon. Danladi Baido from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) where is now its governorship candidate. He won’t want to be dragged into a labyrinth and caged having seen that justice will not prevail to produce the governorship candidate of the PDP. And his prediction came to pass as the manipulative nature of vipers played out. He was saved the sting.

Also, in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the infighting is of the fact that there was no primary election conducted to choose the governorship candidate, even though Senator Emmanuel Bwacha has been claiming to be the winner and the flag bearer of a process. Various court decisions had apparently knocked him off but other courts also are compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put his name on the ballot.

His other co-contestants are giving him sleepless nights in what they claimed was a stolen mandate. However, a major crisis that erupted few weeks ago in the state was the purported endorsement of Lt.-Col. Agbu Kefas of the PDP by the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as its preferred candidate. This heated the polity in the state with CAN being seriously accused of meddling into politics with a section claiming the organization was given N50 million to do the dirty job. It also triggered a dangerous religion dimension in the politics of the Taraba State.

As a result, a Muslim sect also directed its followers should vote for Professor Yahaya Sani of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) as a challenge to CAN’s so-called endorsement.Now, politics in Taraba State has turned into religion inclination with core issues affecting the people neglected.

However, some governorship candidates including Hon. Danladi Baido came out to condemn the purported “endorsement” of Kefas by CAN that has divided the people.

Zoning agreement thrown into trash can

In fact, all these are further aggravated by the outright refusal to respect the existing governorship zoning agreement in the state where the next governor now is to come from northern Taraba.

This was thrown to the dogs by politicians mainly from Taraba south extraction who felt power must remain in the south. This is rather unfair as systematically all the three zones have taken their turns at the governorship which started from the northern zone in 1999 to the southern zone completing the round with Governor Darius Ishaku finishing the term in May, 2023.

For justice and equity, a fresh round ought to start from the north but some hawks have commandeered the whole process. This has further instigated some hate between the people of southern Taraba and those from the northern part of the state bringing ethic dimension to the already religious tension. If this zoning arrangement was honoured, there won’t be these tensions bringing the state on its knees and the people in despair.

Way forward with Hon. Danladi Baido

Danladi Baido has been in the thick of the Taraba State zoning arrangement since 1999. But in 2007, when the governorship tenure of Rev. Jolly Nyame was ending, Hon. Baido showed interest but was made to forego his ambition for the Central Senatorial District. This led to the emergence of late Governor Danbaba Suntai.Hon. Baido threw his full weight behind the arrangement agreeing that it was fair and just.

This also further led to the shift of the governorship position to the Southern Senatorial District and the emergence of Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku which Hon. Baido, again, fully supported.

Hon. Baido is the best choice not only because he is from Taraba North that is supposed to produce the next Governor but a politician with great depth and humane history. He is known to be a man personifying unity and acceptability across the state. Even many years after out of government in Taraba State his modest achievements still resonate till today. He upped the prestige of traditional rulers in the state by increasing their salaries and remodel many of their palaces and provided vehicles for them while serving as the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. What other respect do our traditional institutions ask for.

Even as Commissioner of Finance, Hon. Baido stabilized the finances of the state ensuring salaries and other wages were prompted paid. This greatly improved the economy level of the state that has now nose-dived for the worse.

But one of the greatest values of Hon. Baido is his passion for a secured Taraba State where people can move around peacefully, going about their daily lives earning legitimately. He also preaches justice for all leading to development of all sectors.

In all his meetings and Town Hall engagements, Hon. Baido said it is only by ensuring justice that people feel secured and have a sense of belonging. Without equal rights and justice, there won’t be stability in society.

It is this lack of equal rights and justice that has led to the tense situation we found ourselves in Taraba State today, where a section thinks they have the opportunity to manipulate an agreement that is in place. A simple formula not respected making the matter looking complex.

It is for this reason and many others that Taraba State electorates must wise-up and massively vote Hon. Baido as governor in the March 18, 2023 election to maintain the arrangement for peaceful co-existence.