By Abubakar Yunusa
The group, Taraba State Youths Advocate for Good Governance has accused the state government of unfairly targeting Alhaji Dr. Saleem Iliyasu Goje, popularly known as Dan Mama, after he was stripped of all his traditional titles.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Comrade Ibrahim Isa Donga, and issued in Jalingo on Monday, the youths said the government must explain the specific allegations that warranted such a decision.
According to them, failure to disclose the charges and due process followed showed signs of arbitrariness that were inconsistent with democratic principles.
The statement read, “The Taraba State Government must immediately make public the specific allegations and due process followed that led to the dethronement of Dan Mama. A democratic government must operate on the rule of law, not on secrecy and arbitrariness.”
The group further demanded that Goje be given the opportunity to defend himself in a fair hearing.
“If the government cannot provide credible evidence of wrongdoing, we demand the immediate restoration of all his traditional titles and a public apology,” the youths insisted.
They also called for a clear policy direction to encourage rather than discourage the aspirations of Taraba youths.
While pledging to monitor the situation closely, the association warned that it would not hesitate to mobilise peaceful actions to protect the rights of citizens.
