A new political storm is brewing in Taraba State following the circulation of a letter purportedly announcing the re-appointment of a Deputy Chief of Staff to the Office of the Deputy Governor. This development has raised concerns over constitutional propriety and potential power struggles within the state’s executive arm.
The appointment letter, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Gebon T. Kataps, and said to have the approval of Governor Agbu Kefas, states that the posting is “to ensure effectiveness of governance and articulation of government policies and programs emanating from the purview of the Deputy Governor’s Office.”
However, the development raised several questions, particularly from the Mumuye Cultural Development Association (MCDA), which issued a statement demanding clarification from the state government on the necessity and legality of the appointment.
In a statement jointly signed by Dr. Ishaku Bitrus Manang, Secretary of the Caretaker Committee (CTC) of the MCDA, and Associate Prof. Alex M. Malaazee, Chairman of the CTC, the MCDA queried why such a position is being introduced when the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Alkali, has reportedly been absent from office since November 2024, without any prior arrangement for a Deputy Chief of Staff.
“Given the absence of the Deputy Governor, what prompted the sudden need for this position? Is this type of appointment provided for in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended? In the event of the Deputy Governor’s incapacitation, can the Permanent Secretary in the office not assume these responsibilities until the Deputy Governor’s return or otherwise?” the MCDA asked.
The association further questioned whether the appointment effectively amounts to creating the position of an “Assistant Deputy Governor,” or if it signals an attempt by the state government to circumvent constitutional processes in appointing a new deputy governor, as speculated in some quarters.
Reaffirming its earlier stance, the MCDA emphasised that any replacement of the ailing deputy governor must follow constitutional due process and respect traditional protocols in the state.
The MCDA emphasised the political significance of the deputy governorship, recalling that the joint ticket of Alhaji Aminu Alkali and Governor Agbu Kefas was a strategic agreement with the Mumuye people aimed at securing the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) victory in the 2023 elections.
“The Mumuye people request that this bargain be respected and upheld by the Dr. Agbu-led administration,” the statement said. “It is now the turn of the Mumuye people to benefit from the PDP.”
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Taraba State Government addressing the concerns raised by the MCDA.
