Taraba lawmakers urge contending parties in chieftaincy dispute to present facts

Members of the Taraba State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs have advised contending parties in the Chieftaincy tussle of Takum local government area to avoid playing the emotional card to curry sympathy from the lawmakers.

Chairman of the Committee and former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Peter Diah, urged all parties involved in the dispute to present verifiable facts that would enable them to prepare a balanced report for an amicable resolution of the Chieftaincy dispute.

Diah, who spoke Wednesday at a public hearing on the executive bill sent to the Assembly by the State Governor, Agbu Kefas, on the creation of one rotational first class chief and three third class chiefs in Takum, also assured that his committee would be fair to all interested parties.

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According to him, “we expect that all those who would present a memorandum would present facts and not play the emotional game.

“In law, emotions do not hold water. It is the facts presented that would help us in our work to prepare a comprehensive report that we would present to our colleagues in the Assembly.

“It is also the facts of these matters that would guide this House of Assembly to find a lasting solution to this Chieftaincy dispute that has lingered for years.

“For us as a committee, we will be fair in our assignment and all memos presented would be captured by the secretariat in our report.”

The Takum first class traditional stool has been left unoccupied since 1996 due to rival ethnic nationalities claiming ownership.