The Taraba State Government has firmly denied widespread reports suggesting that Deputy Speaker Hamman-Adama Adamu has been nominated to replace the current Deputy Governor, describing the claims as “false, misleading, and wicked.”
During a press conference on Tuesday, Commissioner for Information Zainab Jalingo categorically refuted the rumors circulating across social and traditional media platforms, emphasizing that no vacancy exists in the Deputy Governor’s office.
The clarification comes amid growing speculation about potential changes in the state’s leadership structure, with various media outlets reporting alleged plans to nominate the Deputy Speaker for the Deputy Governor position.
“The attention of the Taraba State Government has been drawn to a rumour making the rounds on social and traditional media suggesting that His Excellency, Dr Agbu Kefas, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, has nominated Alhaji Hamman Adama as the new Deputy Governor of the state,” Jalingo stated during the briefing.
“This claim is entirely false, misleading, wicked and should be disregarded by the public in its entirety,” she added, using unusually strong language to dismiss the reports.
The commissioner stressed that Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi Alkali remains the legitimate Deputy Governor of Taraba State and continues to discharge his constitutional responsibilities without any impediment.
Jalingo took the opportunity to educate the public about the constitutional requirements for replacing a deputy governor, noting that such processes involve specific legal procedures that have not been initiated.
“The process of replacing a Deputy Governor, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, is clear. Due legislative and constitutional procedure is required. No such process has been initiated or contemplated at this time,” she emphasized.
The government’s response suggests concerns about the potential impact of such rumors on political stability and public confidence in the state administration. Jalingo warned that those spreading the false information were deliberately attempting to create confusion and undermine the government’s focus on governance.
“The Taraba State Government remains focused on delivering good governance and will not be distracted by unfounded speculations,” she declared, positioning the administration as victim of a deliberate misinformation campaign.
The commissioner urged citizens to exercise caution when consuming information from unofficial sources and to rely exclusively on verified government communication channels for accurate updates about state affairs.
“We urge the public to remain calm and to rely only on verified information from official government communication channels,” Jalingo advised, highlighting the administration’s concern about the spread of unverified claims.
The strong denial from the Taraba State Government reflects growing sensitivity among Nigerian political leaders to social media-driven rumors and their potential to destabilize political arrangements. The use of terms like “wicked” to describe the false reports indicates the administration’s view that the rumors were maliciously motivated rather than accidental misinformation.
The incident underscores the ongoing challenge of managing information flow in Nigeria’s digital age, where unverified claims can rapidly gain traction across multiple media platforms before official responses can be issued.
As Taraba State continues its administrative activities under Governor Agbu Kefas, the government has made clear that any future changes to the Deputy Governor position would follow proper constitutional procedures and be announced through official channels rather than social media speculation.
