There is a new kind of anxiety surrounding the reelection bid of incumbent Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State.Insiders said there is unease over the silence by General TY Danjuma who many view as the governor’s political godfather of some sort.
Those familiar with the intrigues said unlike in 2015 when he was really involved, it is strange that Danjuma has not made any public pronouncement on the political future of his godson, Ishaku as the latter seeks reelection.
The 2019 re-election bid is the fiercest political project of Ishaku, yet mum seems to be the word from Danjuma. Many recall that despite being usually reticent, Danjuma endorsed and openly rooted for his godson in 2015. The retired and highly respected General was actively involved in the 2015 governorship politics through a series of meetings with stakeholders in Taraba.
Strangely, that’s not happening now. It appears Ishaku is on his own. There is interest in the matter, a source said because many view Ishaku’s 2015 victory as the sole handiwork of Danjuma, who singlehandedly picked the governor out of several PDP aspirants. But with only a weeks now to the 2019 reelection date, it is unclear if the General is still interested in the project he started.
According to insiders, there has been no clear cut meeting of stakeholders called in Lagos or Abuja. Feelers in the public domain suggests that Mr. Ishaku is also short of funds. He had just borrowed N2bn to fund his campaign. A source said this is a misnomer considering that Ishaku’s godfather is a multi-billionaire. Some have asked, why is the general not funding his campaign?
However, another observer said Gen. Danjuma has actually consistently refused to give Ishaku handouts throughout his tenure, preferring only to support efforts through his foundation. A major contribution was the referral hospital in Takum- the town the former defence minister and the governor hail from. An ultra modern secondary school is also to be built. There are also the bridges on Katsina Ala road. Beyond these, it is doubtful if the state governor got direct funding especially for the forthcoming campaigns. The talk is that the famed general does not like spending on any political projects.
