The Mumuye Cultural Development Association (MCDA), made up of the kinsmen of Aminu Alkali, the ailing Taraba State deputy governor, has rejected the appointment of the deputy chief of staff, Taraba State Government House, Dr. Emmanuel Lawson, to take over Alkali’s responsibilities while he battles illness in the hospital.
The secretary to Taraba State Government, Barrister Gibon Kataps, issued a press statement on July 1, 2025, deploying the deputy chief of staff, Emmanuel Lawson, to oversee the affairs in the deputy governor’s office.
In the statement the SSG said, “This posting is in line with the administration’s drive to ensure the effectiveness of governance and proper articulation of government policies and programmes emanating from the quarters of the Deputy Governor’s Office.”
Reacting to the development, the MCDA, through its chairman, Gaa Data Bil and its secretary, Ishaku Bitrus, said the government has clearly taken over the responsibilities of the deputy governor and handed them to Lawson.
An appointment letter of the deputy chief of staff to the office of the deputy governor, signed by the Secretary of the State Government and reportedly approved by the governor of Taraba State, has been circulating on social media.
“Assuming the authenticity of this appointment, we require further clarification from the government regarding the role of the deputy chief of staff.
The appointment has raised several questions. The letter outlines the duties of the deputy chief of staff to the office of the deputy governor, which appear to be the primary responsibilities of the deputy governor.
“Given that the deputy governor has been absent from office since November 2024, without any prior appointment of a deputy chief of staff, what prompted the sudden need for this position?
Is this type of appointment provided for in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended?” the group asked.
MCDA stated that in the event of the deputy governor’s incapacitation, the permanent secretary in the deputy governor’s office should assume all the responsibilities until he returns.
“The association emphasizes that constitutional due process must be followed, and the traditional moral procedures for replacing deputy governors in Taraba state must be strictly adhered to.
“The joint ticket of the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Alkali, with the governor of Taraba state, HE Dr. Agbu Kefas, was a calculated and respected bargain with the Mumuye people to secure the PDP’s victory in the 2023 elections. The Mumuye people request that this bargain be respected and upheld by the Dr. Agbu-led administration,” the statement read.
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