Muslim Council Lambasts Gov. Ishaku Over Marginalization In Taraba

The Taraba State Muslim Council on Friday expressed dismay over what it called the gradual purging of Muslims at all levels of governance and civil service by Governor Darius Ishaku’s led administration.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Acting Chairman, Khadi Abdulmu-min Abubakar (Rtd), and the Secretary of the Council, Alh. Chindo Bose was read by the Secretary during a Press Conference held at the Secretariat of the council in Jalingo.

The council noted with sadness that it has been resisting adding its voice to public discourse about the insidious marginalization against the Muslim Ummah in the state by the current administration of Governor Darius Ishaku but it has no option but to cry out before it is too late, as all efforts made by the council to see that the present government corrects the wrongs doing to no avail.

Bose explained that the renowned Muslim organization, MURIC drew the attention of the Government to redress the issue, pointed out that all exclusive tactics of governance can only breed hatred, disunity, instability as well as lack of peace, and suspicious coexistence.

Further sad with the recent appointment of Permanent Secretaries by the governor, the council revealed that out of the twelve appointed Permanent Secretaries none of them is a Muslim, despite the presence of many and very senior Directors among the Muslim Civil Servants who are sufficiently qualified for the positions.

According to the council, laid down procedures for employment in civil service are no longer followed in Taraba State, revealing that presently, no Muslim heads any of the three arms of Government in the state that comprises the Head of Service, the SSG, and the Chief of Staff.

Also, the Council is concerned that all the state-owned Tertiary Institutions including media houses are all headed by Christians, adding that among the 25 Commissioners, only 7 are Muslims as well as out of the 221 Special Advisers, only 54 Muslims, while among the 23 heads of boards and parastatals appointed by the Governor, only 5 are Muslims.

“Unlike the current unjust situation, key appointments were given by the previous administrations in the state on virtually equal ratios between the Muslims and Christians and, at times, the Muslims even received a larger portion of the appointments owing to their indisputable conspicuous population in the state”. The Council claimed.

It called on Governor Darius Ishaku to make his administration an inclusive one and stop running a government with favouritism, while the leader of the Council, Rtd. Khadi Abdulmu-min Abubakar called on those he described as their Abuja brothers to rise to their responsibilities as Muslims.