Why I was absent from Taraba for 87 days – Governor Darius

The governor of Taraba State, Ishiaku Darius, on Thursday, explained why he was absent from his State for about three months.

Mr Darius, who showed up in Jalingo, the state capital, for the first time in 87 days, said his absence was based on health grounds.

The governor said he had broken his leg after a fall he had in his home.

He said he had been on medication ever since until doctors advised that he could travel. He said he is yet to fully recover.

Mr Darius, whose return coincides with the coronavirus pandemic in the country, also used the moment to advise people on safety measures.

He implored the people of the state to avoid handshakes and “unnecessary movement’ in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

Mr Darius, serving his second term as Taraba governor, has not been in the state since December 22, 2019, when he practically moved the seat of government to Abuja, the federal capital from where administer the state.

He said his almost three months stay in Abuja was based on the advice of his doctors. He also said that his 87 days’ absence from the state had not crippled the business of governance.

“I had an accident in the house. I fell off from a staircase and broke my legs.

“But I did not know, so I had to go for surgery. Then, I came back to recover from the injuries.

“And there were speculations: some said I am dead; some said I am crippled; some said I am vegetable.

“You are seeing me talking today, not that I have recovered fully but my doctor said I can travel today. That is why I have returned.”

Mr Darius thanked his deputy for standing in for him, as well as the confidence vote passed on him by the state assembly.

The opposition lawmakers had once moved to impeach the governor, who was immediately saved by the members of the ruling party who passed a vote of confidence in his administration.

How power failure made me fall off the staircase

Governor Darius had during a question and answer with journalists said he got his leg injury during a power outage while he was running up a staircase in his home.

He said the injury demanded an urgent surgery that was successful but he has to remain bedridden for a gradual recovery process.

He said governance was not paralysed in Taraba due to his absence.

“It is not true that nothing was working during my absence, ” he said.

“I was getting reports every day about what was going on in the state, and everything was working correctly, in spite of my absence.

“I want all Nigerians to note that we are all humans -that I am a governor does not make me super-human.

“I made a mistake of running upstairs at my house around 8 p.m. Then they took the light. I fell and rolled down and that created a crisis for me, which I never anticipated.

“Now, all of us are like that. An accident can happen to anybody at anytime, anywhere. So, when you glorify it and start singing music about it, it doesn’t help you.

“I want to assure the people of Taraba State that I am healing very well and nothing will stop moving in the state. The Rescue Agenda is ongoing,” Ishaku said.

On COVID – 19 situation in the state, Mr Darius said, “The state government had set up isolation centers at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo and the Specialist Hospital Jalingo in case of an outbreak of the disease in the state.