Taraba: Umar alleges plot to arrest him

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Ahead of PDP governorship primaries, former Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar yesterday alleged that the state government and its cabal have concluded plans to intimidate and arrest him and his core supporters on trump up charges.

Umar Gubernatorial Campaign Organization in a statement yesterday said the state government resorted to the infamous plot to ensure that the former Acting Governor is denied every opportunity to participate in the governorship elections after all other plans had failed to stop him.

The statement signed by its Campaign Director General, Ahmed Yusuf said the plan includes investigation of  some spurious allegations against the former Acting Governor and some of his principal officers, so as to distract them from the election process.

He alleged that agents of the state government also plan to invite law enforcement officers from outside the state to start a physical campaign of intimidation, harassment and arbitrary arrest of citizens on trump up charges with a view to frightening them into submission or withdrawing their support for Alhaji Garba Umar.

He said the desperate politicians have hijacked the state government and commence a comprehensive campaign of calumny, harassment, intimidation and arrest of its political opponents.

Yusuf said the plan follows the state government’s “failure to assert its authority and influence on the political will of the citizens with a view to the wrestling the control of PDP members from Alh. Garba Umar.”

The campaign director alleged that the Acting Governor, Alh. Sani Abubakar Danladi early this week had summoned a meeting with members of the State House of Assembly, PDP state executive committee members, local government chairmen and some party stakeholders and directed them to return all government anointed candidates during the forthcoming, state and federal national assembly as well as the governorship congresses.

“This threat has so far failed as the delegates have remained resolute and unperturbed and are resolved to elect leaders of their choice.”

“The overwhelming members of the party and other electorates in the state are defiantly standing by the former Acting Governor, Alh. Garba Umar as they trooped out in thousands on Tuesday to welcome him to Jalingo since his ouster by the Supreme Court.

The Campaign Organisation however appealed to its supporters to remain calm and resolute so as not to provide the government’s agents the tools to blackmail and arrest them.