Election Infractions: Group Exonerates UNIJOS Vice Chancellor
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Following allegations about election infractions against the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, a group known as League of Concerned Professionals has strongly exonerated the Vice Chancellor, testifying to his impeccable character.
The Vice Chancellor served during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections and the March 18 Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections all in Nasarawa State as the State Returning Officer. But since after the results of the March 18 elections were announced, there have been several allegations against him including alleged financial inducement.
Led by Barrister Chesil Drenkat, League of Concerned Professionals debunked that Ishaya, “a patriotic, forthright, God-fearing perfect gentleman” was too refined to be smeared with such allegations.
Drenkat said, “As concerned Professionals, 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 Prof. Tanko Ishaya.
“Before coming to UNIJOS in the year 2010, Prof. Tanko Ishaya was Head of Center for Internet Computing University of Hull in 2010, having earlier worked at the University of Manchester. Arriving and taking up the appointment in UNIJOS is more out of patriotism than for monetary gains, and while at UNIJOS, his sole efforts attracted foreign research grants of over ($1m) in competitive research funding. From the UK Research and Innovation, UK DMI, II British Council, Carnegie Corporation of USA, UK Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), and TETFUND NRF.
“Prof Tanko contributed to securing, implementing and managing external grants of over 15 million US Dollars to the University of Jos. He currently holds four funded research grants, including the Development of Artificial Intelligence.
“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. We submit therefore that Prof. Tanko Ishaya is no stranger to money and no candidate in Nasarawa State irrespective of political party can entice, induce or influence this man of high pedigree with some paltry sums of money, if any, most likely in Nigeria Naira to influence this principled, focused and God-fearing gentleman.”
The group explained that the role of a state Returning Officer was to await the final result collated and certified at the unit level in forms EC8A, at Ward level, in form EC8B, at L.G.A level in form EC8C before finally getting to him for final collation in form EC8D. “It is clear that his role as to receive summary of results from LGAs after which he collates and announces 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. We challenge any person, party or candidate to fault the role played by Prof. Tanko in this regard. In all the foregoing, the political parties had their agents who were bound to be vigilant and alive to their responsibilities at all stages of the coalition. It is therefore preposterous, reckless, and unfounded to assert or hold the erroneous notion or conclusion that this man of unwavering integrity, an incorruptible man of honour can be or was actually induced by money or whatever material thing (s) to proclaim and announce a winner in the Gubernatorial Elections in Nasarawa State.
“Mindful of the fact that losers always have inflammable tendencies of misdirecting reason (s) for their losses and more often a transfer of their aggression, we state categorically that blaming Prof. Tanko Ishaya over such unfounded and unsubstantiated claims of inducement and corrupt practices on the outcome of Nasarawa State Gubernatorial Election is one of such misguided, misdirected claims by very bad losers in an election that is particularly adjudged to be very competitive. He does not have powers to interrogate the results presented, and in this case, the contentious Gayam ward result which is the subject of contention, was the only result presented to him in form EC8C by the L.G.A Returning Officer.”
