Usman Shiddi, a member of the House Representatives, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the National Judicial Service Commission (NJC) to stop the breakdown of law and order in Taraba state.
Shiddi who is representing Ibi/Wukari federal constituency of Taraba state, said the call became necessary, sequel to the alleged arm twisting of the judiciary by Darius Ishaku, governor of the state.
The lawmaker at press conference in Abuja at the week also alleged that Ishaku was using intimidation and harassment to muscle opposition because he is becoming unpopular among the electorate.
Shiddi is the All Progressive Congress (APC) Senatorial candidate for Taraba South, running against the governor who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the seat in the 2023 general election.
According to him, the governor is deploying state apparatus to hound and persecute APC supporters in southern Taraba with a view to making the political space uncomfortable for the opposition.
The chairman, House committee on internal security lamented that three APC stalwarts were presently languishing in jail on trumped-up charges orchestrated by the governor-Ishaku-led PDP, saying democracy was endangered in ‘the nature’s gift to the nation’ state.
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He said: “I want to say today that democracy is about to somersault in Taraba. Governor Ishaku Darius has been so impatient with the opposition and is assaulting democracy in Taraba, particularly southern Taraba. And to us, he is testing the waters. And if he goes scot free in what he is doing, we do know what we would do as the election approaches.
“As I speak today, my campaign DG, Dantani Danazumi Meshach is still under detention. After the bail was reviewed, the magistrate court granted him bail. The high court issued another warrant again for his custody for charges that were political.
“They called my DG a lot of names, comparing him to Gana in Benue, and there are no records to show where he kidnapped, killed or did anything wrong anywhere. This same fellow, assisted them, was working for them and he won election in 2019 and now because he does not work for them, he has become a bad person.
“He did not stop there, as I speak again today, my LG coordinator of Wukari, the coordinator of our governorship aspirant, Ibrahim Danji Jibatswen and the party chairman of the LG, Isa Ma’aji Shekarau Masa-ibi are in prison today.
“They were summoned to the court some few days ago and were taken to police custody and later to prison. For the singular fact they reported to the police…because there was an attempt to attack us during the coronation of the two traditional rulers in Takum and Donga and Wuakari.
“The government is arm twisting the judiciary in the state. So I am calling Mr president and the CJN and NJC to wade into this matter to stop the breakdown of law and order.
“We don’t know what will happen next again. We are being intimidated all over. And all these are geared towards the 2023 election. If he knows that he is grounded, why is he afraid of opposition? If you know you are on ground, why use state powers and resources to muzzle up opposition?
“It is obvious that the governor of Taraba knows he is losing. That’s why they have this fever and make all the harassment all over the place. APC is waiting for election even tomorrow. that February is even too long for us. If they say the election is tomorrow, I am prepared for it.”
