24/10/2025
“Taraba Is Quietly Bleeding” — Hon. Danjuma Shiddi Raises Alarm, Calls for Accountability and Fiscal Responsibility
By Taraba politics
Jalingo, Taraba State | October 24, 2025
In what many have described as one of the boldest political statements in recent times, Hon. Danjuma Usman Shiddi, former Member representing Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, has written an open letter to the Taraba State House of Assembly, leaders of thought, senior citizens, and political stakeholders, calling for greater accountability, transparency, and fiscal discipline in the state.
The letter, titled "A Call for Accountability and Fiscal Responsibility in Taraba State,”
paints a disturbing picture of what Hon. Shiddi calls the “quiet bleeding” of Taraba — a state, he says, standing at the edge of a financial precipice.
“Our dear Taraba is quietly bleeding. The pulse of our state grows faint, and if one listens closely enough, one can hear the groan of a people whose future is being mortgaged without their consent,” he wrote.
According to the outspoken former lawmaker, the current administration has, within just two years, borrowed or secured approvals exceeding ₦1.2 trillion, despite generating only ₦10.87 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2023.
He listed several major loans and facilities, including:
₦206.78 billion from a consortium of banks;
₦350 billion bond approved in 2025; and
$268.63 million (approximately ₦510 billion) from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).
Shiddi questioned the transparency of these financial arrangements, alleging that no detailed breakdowns or project locations have been made public.
“A state that earns ₦10.87 billion a year cannot repay ₦1.2 trillion without selling its soul. This is not governance; it is gambling — with our future, our children’s inheritance, and the faith of a people who trusted their leaders to act with restraint,” he stated.
The former legislator also expressed concern over the implementation of the free and compulsory education policy announced by Governor Agbu Kefas, questioning the whereabouts of the ₦17 billion reportedly earmarked for uniforms and school supplies.
He further lamented that despite huge federal allocations and loans, the state continues to struggle with poor infrastructure, unpaid salaries, and deteriorating social services.
“Allocations have doubled, loans have multiplied, yet development remains as scarce as integrity in the corridors of power,” he wrote pointedly.
Hon. Shiddi then turned his attention to the Taraba State House of Assembly, urging lawmakers to rise to their constitutional duty of oversight and accountability rather than “cheerleading” the executive.
“You were not elected to clap. You were chosen to question, to check, and to act as the conscience of the state,” he said, invoking Sections 128 and 129 of the Nigerian Constitution, which empower the legislature to summon and investigate public officials.
He called on the Assembly to halt all future loan approvals until the government publishes audited reports of all existing loans and projects, insisting that Taraba deserves full transparency on how public funds are managed.
In concluding his passionate appeal, Hon. Shiddi drew comparisons with other Nigerian states that have prioritized internally generated revenue and prudent fiscal management.
"In Zamfara, Governor Dauda Lawal rebuilds without loans. In Ogun, the government has raised its IGR to over ₦126 billion this year. Taraba — rich in land, solid minerals, and people — should not be drowning in debt,” he added.
The letter has since sparked conversations across political and civic circles, with many citizens commending Shiddi’s courage to speak truth to power.
“Let posterity record that when Taraba was being drowned in silence, some of us raised our voices — not out of malice, but out of duty,” he concluded.
Hon. Danjuma Usman Shiddi, also known as Danji SS, is a two-term federal lawmaker who represented Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency in the 8th and 9th National Assembly. Known for his outspokenness, Shiddi has often advocated for transparency, justice, and grassroots development in Taraba State.
