STEPHEN OSU, in this piece replays the chain of events leading to the purchase of nomination form by the Acting governor of Taraba State, whose political foes said would dare not contest for governorship in 2015. There were rumours that the National headquarters of the PDP had already refused selling the nomination form to the embattled governor
Starting point
It became a very popular issue of discussion in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital and most towns and villages around the sixteen local government areas that make up the state, that acting governor Garba Umar also known in the state as ‘UTC’ will not be allowed to purchase the nomination form of the ruling People’s Democratic Party and dare to run for the governorship primaries of the state come November 29th 2014.
The subject matter, as illogical as it was, continued gaining grounds in the Taraba public discourse, to the extent that it was celebrated by anti-Garba’s groups in the state. But the special assistant to the acting governor Aaron Artimas willingly advised media practitioners in the state who cared to listen that it would amount to the media becoming so un-informed reporting such a “baseless rumour” on the pages of the papers. Despite the lack of legitimacy in the claim that the Wadata House, which is the national headquarters of the PDP had refused to sell their nomination form to Garba Umar, the speculation gained more grounds and on Thursday 9th October 2014 when an occasion at the governor’s house, meant to make public his campaign team was put off indefinitely.
The purchase of the nomination form
The first information that filtered into Taraba was that the acting governor would fly to Abuja for the nomination form on Saturday 11 October 2014. Yet again, the date was shifted and the opposition mostly within Taraba PDP chapter kept on jubilating until their jubilation was cut short Monday 13th October this year when the National Chairman of the PDP, Ahmad Adamu Muazu handed-over the nomination and intent Form of the Party to Alhaji Garba Umar UTC.
His long stay in Abuja became a matter of concern leading to anxiety among his die-hard supporters that cut across the one hundred and sixty-eight council wards, throughout the sixteen local government areas that make up the north, central and southern senatorial districts that consist of six Federal House of Representative seats; they also cut across the two major religions in the state.
Then the return
The idea was first conceived and nurtured by the political schemers hidden in Umar’s government but it leaked out to the public and women and youths mobilized themselves in thousands all over the villages into Jalingo and their main point of call was Jalingo airport, where the chattered aircraft that was expected to fly Umar into Jalingo would touch ground by 10:00Am at first.
As early as 7am that Monday morning the roads leading to the airport were choked up with both human and vehicular traffic, struggling to catch a glimpse of the historic return of the leader they believed was ordained for them strictly by God. Yet again, the arrival time was later shifted to the noon hours of the day. Surprisingly, not even one person among the waiting supporters was discouraged. The seconds, minutes and hours ticked by, as people kept faith with their awaited guest; as they sustained the dance by groups in numbers, who gathered within and outside the airport because of space to dance their lives out in different rhythms . Both the arrival, departure and the VIP lounge at the airport were filled to capacity with guests waiting to welcome the acting governor.
The waiting game took them up to 4:00 pm. By that hour the capital city, the metropolis went agog as the thirty-two passenger capacity Bornier Aviation was spotted in the airspace of the city. All over the place, both old and young Muslims and Christians wave in the sky as the plane flew at a low height slightly above roof tops; it hovered around the city for about thirty minutes before heading for the runway at the Jalingo airport where it touched ground by 4:30pm.
At the airport
As the Dunia 328 brand of aircraft’s immaculate white colour mixed with the navy blue colour below , with registration number 5n- Dow lowered to touch ground on the airport runway, the shout of “Baba Oyoyo, Baba Oyoyo” was what rented the air; there was an emergency anthem sung consciously and unconsciously by all, thus: ‘Abu me wuya fada da Garba’ meaning the only difficult thing is to fight with Garba.
As the aircraft cruise through the run way, security operatives on duty at the airport had the most difficult time of their service experience as supporters disrespected security orders right in their faces and danced their way through all the restricted places at the airport not minding the risks involved, just in show of support and excitement for the aspiration of Alhaji Garba Umar.
The highest peak of the show was when acting governor Garba Umar was spotted disengaging from the aircraft, adorning his traditional white Babbar Riga with a cap and white sandals to match. He was the last passenger to disengage from the aircraft, waving briefly the nomination in the sky. He walked down the steps to the exit point of the aircraft into an awaiting dark-coloured Lexus jeep.
The motorcade
The motorcade that started at the airport covered the distance of about three kilometers, with assorted vehicles, a few customized vehicles, by politicians vying for one position and the other; most of the vehicles on the motorcade were commercial buses hired voluntarily by people from the villages, who wanted to be part of history and also to openly show their support for their new political bride.
The journey from the airport continued through Wukari, Jalingo, Yola federal government Trunk ‘A’ road, through Hamaruwa way, through Barde way and Jekada Fari before arriving the campaign office Beside Nyamusala road at about 7:00pm. At the campaign office, it was already night and there was nothing to say but both Garba and his campaign organization waved at supporters and shouted the slogan of the party before retiring to government house.
Long as the trip covering the distance of about six kilometers was, supporters both young and old, appeared to have shunned religious and ethnic differences; danced behind Garba convoy up to the last point of call – which was his campaign office. Also, as the train went through Jalingo, it was forced to stop over in several places by supporters who would want the acting governor to rest with them before proceeding. These kinds of places were twenty one in all.
The interactive session
In an interactive session with journalists at his official residence the acting governor gave glory to God for the support the masses of Taraba showed him. He also said he was humbled by the support and promised to do everything humanly possible to ensure that the people are not let down.
Reacting to a question on his preparedness, Alhaji Garba Umar said his opponents are certainly intimidated by the kind of support he has enjoyed from the common man in Taraba. He however promised that as the chief executive of the state, he will ensure that there is level playing ground for all contestants.
He also made public the appointment of the Director-general of his campaign organization Engineer Ahmed Yusuf. Those present at the return festivity were the Speaker of Taraba state House of Assembly, Secretary to the state government, Gave Yawe, most members of the state legislature and commissioners.
Clearly, acting governor Garba Umar has taken his political foes off-guard. He was surprisingly daring and it appears there is limited time left for them to work against the man. The support of the PDP national headquarters for his contest still beats the imagination of many pundits.