The Taraba State Police Command has sealed off the state secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party in state to forestall chaos over the chairmanship dispute between the incumbent occupant, Abubakar Bawa and the Deputy Chairman, Inuwa Bakari.
The Command’s Spokesperson Usman Abdullahi told journalists that the command deployed its men to the PDP’s office to ensure law and order.
Former chairman of the party and now the State Gorvernor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, resigned the seat to contest the governorship race, Bakari, who was his Deputy took over the office in acting capacity.
It was learnt that a few days to the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past Governor Darius Ishaku, his special adviser on political matters was appointed as substantive chairman.
Bakari declared the appointment of Bawa as illegal and approached a Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the state capital.
The case was dismissed by Justice Bala Usman on May 26, 2023, for lack of jurisdiction.
It was said that two other aggrieved members of the PDP in the state, Ibrahim Abdulahi and Shamang Moses filed a case at the Taraba State High Court, seeking to nullify the appointment of Bawa as the substantive chairman of PDP, stating that his installation did not comy witt the due process and the party’s constitution.
The state high court headed by Justice Nuhu Adi on Monday, July 17, 2023, declared the appointment of Bawa null and void.
“Inuwa Bakari shall continue to act as the chairman of the Taraba State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party in pursuant to Articles 45 (2) and (4) based on the constitution of the party,” Adi ruled
Meanwhile, Inuwa Bakari and Bawa claimed to have court judgments allowing them to remain in office while their supporters were in fierce rivalry over the office.
However, the PPRO disclosed that the command had initiated process to engage the two parties to avoid breakdown of law and order.
“We are on the matter, we can’t allow the peace of the state to be disrupted; our people are already there at the state secretariat of the PDP; we are engaging them to ensure that we arrived at amicable resolution,” he said.
It was gathered that the PDP office in Jalingo located at Barde Way had been taken over by armed security personnel while the main gate was locked.
