Wole Ayodele in Jalingo 

The Tabulo ruling House of Bambur chiefdom in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State has called for the repeal of the gazette on Bambur traditional stool to accommodate all the eligible families to the throne in the chiefdom.

The gazette, which was published in 2023 following the promulgation of the Taraba State Chiefs (Appointments and Deposition) Law of 2023, recognized only two ruling families out of the six ruling families of the Tabulo ruling house.

In a statement made available to THISDAY in Jalingo signed by Danlami M. Kyani, Azaria  Musa, Baba Adani Bakari, Baba Audu Badugu, Dalhatu Hamman and 80 other members of the Tabulo House, the family kicked against the listing of Jatau Ngeppi and Haruna Dugru as the only ruling houses of Bambur chiefdom, a third class stool in the state.

The statement noted that the Tabulo family, which has been the only ruling jouse in Bambur, is made up of six family units namely Gangru, Biru, Kyengereng, Teni, Mong and Khonghoor — all of which had at one time or the order ruled the chiefdom.

Besides the listing of the Jatau Ngeppi and Haruna Dugru families as the only ruling houses, the family is also calling for the repeal of the gazette on the grounds that the inability of the former paramount ruler, Alhaji Zakari Nuhu Muhammad, to constitute a traditional council/kingmakers before his death on July 7, 2023 has brought about a lacuna that was not envisaged by the law.

Based on the 2023 gazette, the Traditional Council/Kingmakers have the statutory responsibility to appoint the paramount ruler whenever the stool is vacant but as it is today, there is no paramount ruler to constitute the traditional council and there is no traditional council to appoint the paramount ruler.

The statement further revealed that based on the existing procedure, the Tabulo clan would meet and declare the stool vacant whenever the chief passes away, while delegates from the Tabulo clan would meet to elect a new chief who will be presented to the Bambur elders for onward presentation to the state government for approval.

The statement stressed that the Tabulo ruling house has been agitating for the repeal of the gazette for over a year now, as reflected in a petition earlier written to the state Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, dated  February 2024 to draw his attention to the anomaly and take necessary steps to withdraw the gazette.