Bawa, Bakari Battle For Soul Taraba PDP

 

The leadership crisis rocking the Taraba State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a different dimension, as two individuals are claiming the chairmanship position in the state.

 

Also Police have sealed the state secretariat of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State to avert the breakdown of law and order over the chairmanship tussle between the incumbent occupant, Abubakar Bawa and the deputy chairman, Inuwa Bakari.

 

The duo of Inuwa Bakari and Bawa claimed to have court judgments allowing them to remain in office while their supporters were in fierce rivalry over the office.

 

 

Lawyers of the embattled deputy chairman of the party, led by John Okezie Esq has initiated contempt action against the dismissed chairman of the party, Abubakar Bawa.

 

Justice Nuhu Adi of the State High Court sitting in Jalingo had on Monday nullified Mr Bawa's appointment as PDP chairman and reinstated Bakari as the authentic acting Chairman.

This came on the heels of an earlier case struck out by Bala Usman of the Federal High Court Jalingo division, for lack of jurisdiction.

 

Okezie said the sacked PDP chairman committed contempt of court during the swearing-in ceremony of the state commissioners at the Jolly Nyame stadium in Jalingo, where he (Bawa) sat on the seat reserved for the Party Chairman in violation of the court ruling.

 

"He also stated in a video interview that he still remains the State Party Chairman, describing the Judgement of the Taraba State High Court as a Kangaroo Judgement.

 

"We have approached the court seeking an order granting leave to the applicants to serve the Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Order of Court (Form 48) and the Enrolled Order of this court in Suit No: TRSJ/62/2023, as well as all other subsequent processes in the contempt proceedings against the respondent by substituted means, since he has been evading service.

 

"The bailiff has made several efforts to effect personal service of the notice of consequence of disobedience to Order of Court (Form 48) on the respondent at his residential address situated at Angwa Nana Aisha, Jalingo, Taraba State, but he has been evading service," he said.

 

"Inuwa Bakari shall continue to act as the chairman of the Taraba State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party in pursuant to Articles 45 (2) and (4) based on the constitution of the party," Adi ruled

The PDP office in Jalingo located at Barde Way discovered that it was taken over by armed security personnel while the main gate was locked.

 

The police public relations officer in the state Usman Abdullahi said that the command deployed its men to the PDP's office to ensure law and order.

 

He said the command had initiated process to engage the two parties to avoid breakdown of law and order.

 

"We are on the matter, we can't allow the peace of the state to be disrupted; our people are already there at the state secretariat of the PDP; we are engaging them to ensure that we arrived at amicable resolution," he said.