7 injured during porters’ association election in Taraba

Seven persons have sustained  injuries in Sabongida village, Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State on Wednesday following disagreement over election into the executive of porters association.

North East Trust gathered that the crisis began last weekend after the association conducted an election to produce its new leaders for the next two years.

An eye witness, Nuhu Sabongida, said the election  was conducted peacefully and  many adjudged it to be free and fair.

He said Mallam Murtala Muhammed emerged the new Chairman along with 11 other officials having defeated the incumbent Chairman, Yakubu Salleh.

Nuhu added that after his defeat, the former Chairman, Saleh allegedly went to the Chairman of  the Council, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Chul, to protest.

It was learnt that on Tuesday the Council Chairman allegedly ordered the Gassol Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and some officials of the council to escort the defeated Yakubu Saleh and instal him to continue in office as chairman of the association.

“It is in the process of trying to impose the former chairman on the association that crisis started between the rival groups, “ Nuhu said.

A source further said that  there was tension in Sabongida village on Tuesday following fracas between the two groups, which resulted into injury of the seven persons.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, the Chairman of Sabongida Development Association, Alhaji Isiaka Adamu blamed the crisis on the the Chairman of Gasol Local Government Area for trying to impose the former chairman.

“The Porters Association had conducted their elections on Saturday and Murtala Usman emerged the chairman of the association with Salisu Abubakar as the secretary and 11 others why will the council chairman interfere?

“The local government chairman wants the exco to continue because of his political interest but the people don’t want him again that is why they voted for Abubakar.

“As you can see, there was already tension when people heard that he was going ahead to swear in the old exco that was voted out.

The  Sabongida Development Association chairman further  called on the government and security agencies to call the chairman of Gasol to order to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the area.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Taraba Police Command, DSP Abdullahi Usman said he was yet to receive the report from the Divisional headquarters in Gasol.

“I will give you the update as soon as we get the details from Gassol,” he said.

Reacting to the allegations, the Chairman of Gassol LGA, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Chul denied imposing  any candidate on the association.

According to him, the Saleh Abubakar-led exco wrote to the local government informing the council that they were going to hold their election upon which officials from the Social Development Unit of the local government, NLC, and NULGE were sent to monitor the election, adding that the chairman was duly elected by majority votes.

“The election was  a consensus they did and since the majority voted for Saleh Abubakar we acted upon that and swore him in,” Musa Chul said.

The chairman blamed   the crisis in Sabon Gida area on some politicians from the area who want to use the association to achieve their selfish political goals.