From GODWIN AGIA, Jalingo
The Stakeholders/Elders Forum of Gassol 1 Constituency in the Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State on Saturday alleged that Governor Darius Ishaku was planning to incite violence in the area.
The forum insisted that installation of a chief for the Kwararafa Chiefdom despite a court order restraining the governor from doing so is an invitation to crisis..
At a press conference in Jalingo, the spokesman of the forum, Hamman Tukur-Kawu said the forum had in 2019 opposed the creation of Kwararafa chiefdom out of Gassol Chiefdom and even went to court to compel the government to revert her decision.
Tukur-Kawu said on March 10, 2023, Justice D. N Buba of the State High Court Jalingo through a motion ex-pate filed by the Forum’s counsel restrained the Governor, the Attorney General of Taraba State and Kwararafa Chiefdom Traditional Council from taking further actions pending the determination of the motion on notice in suit N0.TRSJ/85/2018.
According to Buba, “But despite the court order which we believe was served on the government and the other defendants, we are shocked that the State government flagrantly disobeyed the court order and went ahead to appoint one Meithusela E. Adamu as the 3rd class Chief of Kwararafa on 23rd March 2023.
“We do not only view this appointment as a gross contempt of court, but an abuse of the rule of law and mockery of the judicial process. The total disregard for a court order is just to cause a rift and incite violence among the people of Gassol 1 Constituency.
“The forum wishes to call on Governor Darius Ishaku to respect the order of the court and suspend all actions on the creation of Kwararafa Chiefdom and appointment of a new Chief.”
The forum called on the people of the area to remain calm and not disrupt the peaceful coexistence of the residents of the area, assuring that the law will prevail eventually.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Governor Ishaku’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan-Abu failed as he did not respond to calls to his line or reply a message sent to his phone.
