Concerns are mounting over the prolonged absence of Taraba State Deputy Governor, Aminu Alkali, who has not been seen in public for over three months due to health challenges.
Alkali was reportedly admitted to the National Hospital in Abuja in November 2024 for treatment of an undisclosed ailment. Sources, however, claim he was later flown to Egypt for further medical attention as his condition deteriorated.
The Taraba State Government has not issued any official statement regarding his health or whereabouts, fueling speculation and anxiety among residents, especially within political circles.
The situation has drawn comparisons to the 2012 case of former Governor Danbaba Suntai, who sustained critical injuries in a plane crash. Political tensions arose when power was not officially transferred to his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar, leading to governance challenges.
With Alkali’s continued absence, some politicians have reportedly begun lobbying for his position. A Jalingo-based human rights lawyer, Barr. Bilyaminu Maihanchi, has urged the state government and the House of Assembly to invoke Section 189 of the Nigerian Constitution to address the matter.
“I urge Governor Agbu Kefas to provide a clear explanation regarding the Deputy Governor’s absence. The people of Taraba State deserve transparency about their leaders,” Maihanchi said in an open letter.
He also called on the House of Assembly to take its constitutional responsibility seriously by investigating the circumstances surrounding Alkali’s absence.
Efforts to get an official response have been unsuccessful. Speaker of the House, John Kizito Bonzina, was said to be out of the country, while Governor Kefas’ Senior Assistant on Media and Digital Communications, Emmanuel Bello, did not respond to inquiries.
