High Politics That Made Juta First Christian Governor In Northeast

By Ella Makondo

Wilberforce Juta who became governor of the old Gongola State in 1983 after the officeholder was forced out of office has died. He was the first Christian civilian governor in the Old Northeast.

Juta inherited the governorship of one of the largest patches of territory in the old 19 states of Nigeria after the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Barde was forced out of office in a power tussle with the National Party of Nigeria, NPN legislators who controlled the assembly.

Barde and Juta were elected in 1979 on the ticket of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party, GNPP. Barde’s forced removal from office made way for Juta to become governor of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious state.

The power tussle between Barde and the legislators held up development in the old Gongola State and Barde was sustained in power mainly because of the alliance between the GNPP and the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN which surprisingly had a little influence in the state.

However, Barde and the only other GNPP governor, Alhaji Mohammed Goni of Borno State had issues with their party leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri (Politics without bitterness). There were allegations that Waziri was romancing the NPN while the two governors were steadfast in their commitment to the Progressive Parties Alliance.

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In the first quarter of 1983 as the country prepared for the General Election, the two governors announced their exit from the GNPP. Goni went to the UPN while Barde joined Nnamdi Azikiwe’s Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP.

Once he was outside the GNPP, the remaining legislators deserted him and he became meat for the NPN legislators. It was with the threat of impeachment hanging over him that he left office and Juta was sworn in as governor but only for a few months.

Following Barde’s removal, Juta lacking strong political fibre only maintained the office for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the NPN’s choice for governor in 1983. Tukur had as his chief of staff, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi.

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Juta later served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2000 to 2004.

The governor of Adamawa state, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who confirmed his death via his  faccebook page said he received the news of his demise  with shock and grief.

“I received with shock and grief the news of the passing of former Governor of the defunct Gongola State Ambassador Wilberforce Bafte Juta who died today.

“Indeed, the elder statesman was an epitome of humaneness and service.May God grant him eternal rest and the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” the governor said.

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