Gov Ishaku Replies Oshiomhole: Buhari’s Empty Trips Made Nigeria World Poverty Capital

Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku has replied the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, for stating that he (Ishaku) is an ‘absentee governor.’

Oshiomhole, who is a former governor of Edo State, had claimed that Ishaku spends one day in Taraba and six days outside the state.

“Under the APC, the good people of Taraba state will witness sustainable development, peace, and security. They will have a resident governor. Because what we have now is a governor that spends one day in Taraba and six days outside Taraba whether in Lagos, London or in other parts of the world. You can’t govern in absentia. I believe that our party will make a difference,” Oshiomhole had said when he swore in Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi as the chairman of APC in the state.

But Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his response, warned Oshiomhole to watch his utterances, saying he is “never absentee governor.”

He accused him of blatantly announcing plans to rig the election using the electoral body and security force.

He further accused the former governor of elevating intimidation, abuse of office and exploitation “to high heavens while he held sway in Edo.”

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Emmanuel Bello, Ishaku said President Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign trips has “left Nigeria the poverty headquarters of the world.”

The statement read, “Taraba state already has a resident, people oriented governor who is at home with the populace and doing a great job. This is the second time Adams Oshiomhole is vibrating and engaging in his trade mark unchecked vituperations against imaginary foes.

“The first time he spoke about Taraba governor, he said the mandate was stolen through rigging. He then announced that it was the time of the APC to also rig. The statement must have embarrassed even APC members in Taraba.

“How could a former governor and national leader of a party blatantly announce it has plans to rig using the electoral body and security forces? But there he was in all his infamy boasting of their ability to rig.

“Now he is calling governor Ishaku an absentee governor. This is a man with a terrible record in Edo state. Those records are in the public domain. This is a governor who elevated intimidation, abuse of office and exploitation to high heavens while he held sway in Edo.

“The governor is never absent. He may physically travel out of the state. But he keeps in touch with his team. Modern governance has made that very possible. No effective leader would stay in one place for too long. Interactions and the need to find development partners requires some form of travelling by serious executives.

“That is what this governor does. His recent trip, for instance, saw him forging strategic alliances with key countries in the areas of agriculture, education and health. The Kenyan model for inner city water scheme is one of the highlights of his administration. And it was a product of a state visit to Kenya.

“These are but a few benefits of such trips. Not the empty trips embarked by the leader of Oshiomhole’s party which has now left Nigeria the poverty headquarters of the world.”