Taraba Stakeholders Task Gov Ishaku On Court Order

Uhuru Samuel Adaji Jalingo

Stakeholders and elders of Gassol 1 Constituency in Taraba have urged Gov Darius Ishaku to respect the order of a Jalingo High Court restraining the government from creating a new chiefdom out of the present Gassol Chiefdom.

Addressing a press conference in Jalingo on Saturday spokesman of the forum Alhaji Hamman-Tukur Kawu explained that they were out to put their records straight on issues surrounding the creation of Kwararrafa Chiefdom.

“You are all aware that the creation of the Kwararafa Chiefdom and the appointment of Late John Agbu TSokwa as 3rd Class Chief in 2019 was vehemently opposed and rejected by the stakeholders/Elders of Gassol I Constituency’he said.

This was owing to the fact that the creation of the new chiefdom out of Gassol Chiefdom was improper and had no basis, Kawu explained.

“This Culminated into a legal action taken by the stakeholder/Elders at the High Court in Jalingo in order to compel the Government to revert her decision on the creation of the new chiefdom with a view to maintaining the status quo.

Subsequently the suit before Justice D.N Buba of the  High Court stopped the state government from taking further actions on the new Chiefdom, Kawu said.

“On 10th March 2023, His Lordship, Justice D.N. Buba, through a motion Ex-pate filed by our counsel granted the following orders:

1. An order of interim injunction restraining the Defendant/Respondent, who are the Executive Governor of Taraba State, the Attorney General and the Kwararafa Chiefdom traditional Council to either by themselves, previes, Agents, Representatives directly or indirectly from appointing, installing, recognizing, coronating any person, temporary or permanently and or otherwise as the substantive 3rd Class Chief of Kwararafa Chiefdom of Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State pending the determination of the motion on notice in suit No.TRSJ/85/2018 BETWEEN M IBRAHIM J. ISA VS. THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF TARABA STATE & 2 ORS: and

2. An order of interim injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents from redirecting any person whosoever, directily or indirectly from parading himself or themselves as the Representatives of the Departments in kwararafa Village of Gassol local government Area of Taraba State pending the determination of the motion on notice in Suit No. TRSJ/85/2018.

Kawu observed that despite the Court Order which was served on the State government and the other defendants, they were shocked to hear that the State government flagrantly disobeyed the court order and went ahead to appoint one Meithusela E. Adamu as a 3rd class Chief of Kwararafa on March 23, 2023.

“We do not only view this appointment as a gross contempt of court, but an abuse of the rule of law and a mockery of judicial process.

“We therefore call on the State 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 in the area.

Kawu also appealed to the people of the affected area to remain calm and not do anything that will disrupt the peaceful coexistence of the residents as, according to him, he was sure that the law will always be respected.