Nearly a year after their appointments were announced, a staggering 1,761 political aides to Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, have yet to receive their monthly salaries and allowances.
It was learnt that the first batch of appointments was announced on June 19, 2024, through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS), naming 134 individuals.
A second list, released on June 25, added 61 more names. Since then, additional appointments, including Special Advisers (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), and Constituency SAs, have brought the total number to over 1,764 aides.
Despite their mass inauguration on February 25, 2025, and subsequent documentation completed on February 27, the appointees have not been issued official appointment letters at the time of filing this report.
According to sources, many of the appointees learned of their roles through lists circulated on social media. The lack of financial compensation was also observed to have left many of them disillusioned and distressed.
Some of the appointees, who spoke with The Guardian on the condition of anonymity, expressed frustration over the financial strain they have faced since their appointments.
They further revealed that their community expectations have increased, with many locals turning to them for assistance, believing they now have access to state resources.
“Since my name was listed as an adviser to the governor, people have been trooping to my house with all kinds of requests. I attend more events, receive countless calls for help, yet I haven’t received a single Kobo from the government. It’s really challenging,” one appointee lamented.
Another aide added: “It’s difficult to show up in public because people see me as a government official. I can’t even tell them we haven’t been paid; that would feel like betraying the governor. I only hope he fast-tracks the process so we can get paid and reduce this burden.”
The affected aides are now appealing to the governor to expedite their inclusion in the state’s payroll, emphasising that they have been enduring public pressure and financial hardship in silence.
Citing how his house has become a pilgrimage ground for community members seeking help, one of the appointees said that the need for the governor to, as a matter of urgency, insert the right peg in the right hole has become necessary.
