Bans handshakes
By Wole Ayodele
The Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Darius Ishaku yesterday returned to Jalingo, the state capital, after spending 87 days outside the state.
The governor has also urged the residents of the state to stop handshakes and unnecessary movement in order to check the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
The governor disclosed he had fallen and broken his legs but he has healed tremendously.
He however said he has not recovered fully.
He reportedly left Jalingo – the state capital on December 22, 2019 and moved the machinery of government to Abuja FCT where he steered Taraba.
Ishaku told reporters on arrival that he had been complying with medical advice, which prolonged his stay in Abuja.
He refuted claims that governance in the state suffered setback during the period of his absence.
“I had an accident in the house. I fell off from a staircase and broke my legs.
“But I did not know, so I had to go for surgery. Then, I came back to recover from the injuries.
“And there were speculations: some said I am dead; some said I am crippled; some said I am vegetable.
“You are seeing me talking today, not that I have recovered fully but my doctor said I can travel today. That is why I have returned.”
The governor expressed gratitude to his deputy, Haruna Manu, for “holding the forte well” for him during his absence.
He thanked the state House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker, Hon. Joseph Albasu Kunini, for passing “a vote of confidence” on him when the opposition asked the lawmakers to impeach him for allegedly paralysing governance in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that he also thanked the judiciary and security agencies, saying they did well during his absence.
Responding on allegations that his absence had paralysed governance in Taraba, Ishaku said: “It is not true that nothing was working during my absence.
“I was getting reports everyday about what was going on in the State, and everything was working correctly, in spite of my absence.
“I want all Nigerians to note that we are all humans -that I am a governor does not make me super-human.
“I made a mistake of running upstairs in my house around 8p.m. Then they took the light. I fell and rolled down and that created crisis for me, which I never anticipated.
“Now, all of us are like that. An accident can happen to anybody at anytime, anywhere. So, when you glorify it and start singing music about it, it doesn’t help you.
“I want to assure the people of Taraba State that I am healing very well and nothing will stop moving in the state. The Rescue Agenda is ongoing,” Ishaku said.
Meanwhile, Ishaku has urged residents of the state to stop handshakes and unnecessary movement in order to check the spread of Covid 19 in the
state.
He noted that the state government had set up isolation centres at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo and the Specialist Hospital Jalingo in case of an outbreak of the disease in the state.
