Ishaku And Aisha Saga: Between Facts And Fiction -By Abdullahi Musa Jalingo

History, some say is the best teacher of a people. It is from history a society is able to know about itself, its past, present and even try to project tomorrow. It is from history that a people are able to learn from its past mistakes and efforts are made to avoid the `pitfalls of the past.

Hence, it will be unfortunate if my people of our dear state of Taraba will not want to learn from history at this stage of it stagnation.

Our memories are still very fresh with the calamities, misfortunes and chaos that enveloped the state for nearly two years, when that disastrous monster and self acclaimed acting governor of the state Alhaji Garba Umar (alias UTC) held sway. In those days, the state and its people were daily thrown into one form of calamity or another. From Takum to Wukari, from Zing Ibi local government areas, with maiming and killings becoming the common trade of some residents. And regrettably; while all these were going on, UTC hovered around the state like an emperor supervising a conquered people.

Today, nearly a year after UTC was kicked out by the court, Tarabans are yet to recover but for the divine intervention of God Almighty who brought in Governor Darious Dickson Ishaku as the new helmsman to rescue the state.

As a human being I do not and will not pretend or attempt to assume that Governor Ishaku or Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan is an angel. While I have utmost confidence in both Ishaku and Aisha as true indigenes of Taraba, whom, if given the chance and support, could rescue the state from its backwardness, however, it’s my candid opinion that for now, God the maker and giver of all powers, has, in his infinite mercy given the throne of leadership of the people of Taraba to Ishaku and we should, all let it be.

Recent events that happened and are still happening in Bayelsa following the governorship election in the state are enough to awaken the consciousness of our brothers and sisters in Taraba State. Unquantifiable lives and property have been destroyed in the state just for an election into one office. Tarabans should not allow themselves be dragged into such unnecessary state of destruction

This is why our political elites, especially the principal actors in the on-going disagreement over who governs the state, must be very cautions of their utterances and actions.

Both Ishaku and Aisha must know that, their utterances and actions, if not properly guarded, could throw the state and its peace loving people once more into a state of anarchy and total chaos, Ishaku and Aisha should bear in mind that, only an atmosphere of peace and tranquility can guarantee the necessary environment for any of them to govern the state. Unnecessary allegations and counter allegations, unfounded claims and counter claims will do no one any good.

For example, in a recent media reports, Senator Aisha, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was quoted as claiming that two days to the day of the Appeal court’s judgment which was delivered on Thursday December 31, 2015, she had been informed that the outcome was in her favour but only to be changed at the last minute is the most unfortunate and scandalous statement to have come from not only a learned person but from a former Attorney-general and commissioner of justice of a state.

If that statement is true, does it therefore mean that, Aisha was earlier informed of her so called victory at the election petitions tribunal and that is why she was able to adequately mobilise her supporters in Wukari, who wrecked unprecedented havoc on innocent residents of the ancient city shortly before the tribunal delivered its judgment. In that unfortunate event, dozens of lives and properly were destroyed by the APC supporters. To date, Wukari is yet to regain itself.     Similarly, it is shameful for one to hear that Aisha is busy mocking Governor Ishaku that, his supporters were unable to celebrate the recent Appeal court judgment because they believe that the pronouncement is fake.

How and why is a judgment delivered by five eminent justices could be described as inferior and fake to the one delivered by only three judges which gave her victory (which she holds on to jealously to date) is amazing. Better still, did Aisha wish that Ishaku should have also mobilised the PDP supporters in Takun, Jalingo or in karim Lamido to take up arms against innocent residents of their respective areas in the guise of celebration of their victory just as she did?

For me, the decision by the governor not to allow his supporters to celebrate his victory is most commendable and should be hailed by all well meaning Tarabans, after all, who can say, what negative impact such a celebration would have caused if allowed.

As if these were not enough, Aisha is also reported to have alleged that Governor Ishaku carried hundreds of millions of Taraba State money and spent same to influence the outcome of the Appeal court judgment. Again, without evidence, the senator erred once again. In this case she is not only unfair to the gentleman governor but most unfair to her colleagues and constituency, the judiciary. How did Aisha come to know that the justices or any other one else was bribed to subvert the course of justice by Ishaku?

If Aisha’s allegation is true, could we then believe that she had also bribed the tribunal members to give her victory in her judgment (which is the most criticised court pronouncement in recent time) in the country? Or as a former AG and commissioner of justice for Taraba State, does she want us to believe that, it was bribery galore during her tenure/and that the purchase of justice was the commonest trade in the state?       And, like she has recently quoted in some national dailies, if the defeated APC candidate truly believes “only God gives power and not man. Therefore, nobody, no matter how rich or influential he or she may be can change the will of God or any destiny. I feel that the time is now for her to accept the will of Allah which she asserts is the only one that gives power.

– Abdullahi sent in this piece from Jalingo