APC kicks as Taraba govt allegedly punishes civil servants, monarchs for attending political gatherings

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the alleged suspension of three traditional rulers and the transfer of over 20 staff of Sardauna Local Government Council of Taraba State, by the state government.

The monarchs and the council workers were alleged to have been suspended and transferred following their alleged participation in a political gathering organized by the APC in the council.

The APC through its state chairman, Barrister Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, warned the government to as a matter of urgency reverse its decisions.

El-Sudi said on Tuesday that the government has no right to prevent the citizens from exercising their constitutional rights.

The civil servants and the monarchs, who according to him, were only exercising their rights, he said were “unjustly being punished.”

The party leader cited a recent Supreme Court judgment that said public servants have the legal and constitutional rights to participate actively in politics.

He, therefore, urged the government to do the needful by allowing the affected persons to inhale the air of freedom.

Describing the alleged acts as “undemocratic, unfair and unconstitutional” the government, as stated by him, should desist from trampling on the rights of its citizens “especially that of the supporters of our party.”

Some persons from the affected Chiefdoms where the monarchs were suspended, alleged that the government is again on the move to ignite crisis in the Mambilla Plateau.

Citing the ongoing tension over government plans to privatize the Mambilla Tea Company, which our correspondent noticed to have been resisted by the people, going ahead to “suspend our monarchs and transfer some of our people is uncalled for.”

Though the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs could not be reached at the time of filing this report, but the Commissioner of Information and Reorientation, Alhassan Goje, who denied knowledge of both the suspension and transfer, promised to reach out to the bureau for clarification.