Disappointed by the Saturday’s ruling of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, Governor Dairus Ishaku is alleged to have begun plans to humiliate and punish his major contender for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party and former acting Governor of the state, Garba Umar.

This was revealed at a press conference in Lagos by the Coordinator of the Taraba Peoples Assembly, Martins Andekin.

Andekin said Ishaku’s camp is blaming Umar and other PDP delegates for his misfortune at the election tribunal.

Andekin said those privy to a meeting held to review the outcome of the tribunal ruling, which had in attendance some Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the chairman of the PDP in Taraba State and other PDP big wings, agreed that the ruling might be set aside for a fresh election.

The team of lawyers convinced Governor Ishaku to believe the appellate court would set aside the tribunal ruling to pave way for a fresh election.

Andekin noted that the meeting believed that if a fresh primary election is conducted with the PDP delegates, Governor Ishaku might not get the party’s ticket.

He said: “We were told that Governor Ishaku emphasized in the meeting that with Garba Umar UTC on ground, his chances of winning any PDP primary are very slim, stressing the important need to dislodge UTC and the PDP delegates.

“The meeting resolved that Garba Umar must be humiliated and punished for insisting that he did not partake in the PDP’s primary election and prevented from taking part in any primary election against him.”

Also speaking at the briefing, a chieftain of the PDP in Taraba State, Mallam Ahmed Bala, said the party’s delegates are strongly behind the former acting governor should a fresh primary election be conducted.

Bala said if that happens, “UTC will come out victorious against Governor Ishaku”.

Having failed in conjuring the PDP delegates, Bala said the plan is to force Umar out of the party and prevent him from taking part in future primary should the need arise.

Andekin alleged there are plans to harass the former acting governor with anti-corruption agencies using phantom petitions.

He said: “Ishaku also plans to set up a probe panel that will recommend suspension of the former governor from taking public office for the next 10 years.

“Part of their recommendations will also be to freeze account of the former acting governor, seize his properties and order his arrest. We are calling on the world to watch out as these plans and injustice are to be melted out on perceived political opponents.”

 

They called on the PDP leadership to call Governor Ishaku to order and prevent him from further polarization of the party in the state.