by Christiana Gokyo, Jos

A group, called ‘League of Professionals’ in Plateau State has challenged any person, party or candidate in Nasarawa State to fault the role played by Prof. Tanko Ishaya in the recently-concluded governorship election in Nasarawa State, following the allegations leveled against him.

The group has vehemently condemned political gimmicks and shenanigans peddled on social media against the Vice Chancellor University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya.

Leader of the group, Barrister Chesil Drenkat, was reacting to the allegations, while addressing newsmen in Jos recently, describing the VC as a “gentle man of high repute and impeccable integrity as such,” saying that, “no amount of money can induce him to rig election.”

According to him, their attention was drawn to a very wicked, malicious and uninformed campaign orchestrated and spread on the social media against the person and personality of Prof. Tanko Ishaya, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, who served during the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 18th Governorship election and State House of Assembly elections in Nasarawa State, as a Returning Officer.

While recalling that, protest rocks the outcome of the Nasarawa State Governorship election as the incumbent governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, returned elected as announced by INEC, which accused Prof. Ishaya of “compromising the results.”

The development triggered protest in some parts of the state, in which women folks trooped the streets naked, saying, “The declaration of the result was not a true reflection of what transpired at the polling units!”

He said, the character and personality of the VC, adjudged Prof. Tanko Ishaya antecedents speaks volumes, for as he has never found wanting in the course of discharging his assignment.

According to Barrister Drenkat, “As concerned professionals, who know and can vouch for the person of Prof. Tanko Ishaya, by the special Grace of God, the VC UNIJOS, we feel compelled to rise to the occasion by not only putting issues into their proper perspective but to counter and dispel this dangerous campaign of calumny against a patriotic, forthright, God-fearing perfect gentleman, in the person of Prof. Tanko Ishaya.”

Barr. Drenkat disclosed that the VC has contributed in securing, implementing and managing external grants of over 15 million US Dollars to the University of Jos, adding that, he currently holds 4 funded research grants, including the Search and Development of Artificial Intelligence. 

Accordingly, he added, “In the administration of all these funds he attracted to the University of Jos, he has never been found wanting in accountability and management of the funds.”

He acknowledged that, Prof. Ishaya’s role as a collation officer was to await the final result collated and certified at unit level in Forms EC8a, at Ward level, in Form EC8b, at L.G.A. level and in Form EC8c before finally getting to him for final collation in Form EC8d.

“It is clear that his role was to receive summary of results from LGAs, after which he collates and announce those duly elected, bearing all the rules contained in the Guidelines. Prof. Tanko Ishaya did so seamlessly and faultlessly in computation and matching it with the provisions of the Guidelines,” he stated.