Jang Withdraws Government Personnel From Tallen
JOS, Oct 05, (THEWILL) - Governor Jonah David Jang of Plateau State has taken the fight between himself and his deputy, Mrs. Pauline Tallen to a higher gear as he today ordered the immediate withdrawal of all government employed personnel in her office.
Those affected by the order include aides, security personnel, drivers and cooks but the Tallen Campiagn organisation has said the move may be an attempt to put the deputy governor in danger.
The development is coming after Tallen rebuffed pressures from Jang to resign from her position as deputy governor.
Mrs. Tallen had late last month obtained forms from the PDP to contest the party’s gubernatorial ticket. The development had caused a stir in the governor’s camp as it added new hurdles to Jang’s reelection bid.
THEWILL gathered that Jang had last week walked into her office demanding her resignation on the premise that it is illegal and wrong to run against him while she remains in office as his deputy but Tallen had bluntly told the governor that she had not done anything illegal that would warrant her resignation.
Sadly, the withdrawal order which came via a letter from the office of the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Moses Gwom, affected all government employees working in Tallen’s office.
Official spokesman of Tallen’s campaign organization, Mr. Alex kwapnoe confirmed the development and described it as an unlawful harassment of the deputy governor. He said the staff working in the office of the Deputy Governor of Plateau State resumed for work at the office only to be given letters from the office of the Head of Service posting them to various government departments and ministries with immediate effect.
Kwapnoe said the action may not be unconnected with Jang’s bid to frustrate Tallen’s desire to run for the office of the governor in the 2011 gubernatorial election.
He called on President Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President and the Speaker House of Representatives to intervene to save democracy in the state.
On the pressure on Tallen to resign, Kwapnoe said it is Jang who should resign if he is not comfortable having a deputy who is independent minded and understands her right and the working of government.