Tarkighir Dickson Dominic

Dickson Dominic Tarkighir (born 12 April 1969) is a Nigerian politician. He is a member of the 10th Nigeria National Assembly of the Nigerian House of Representatives representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency. He was also a member of the 8th National Assembly and a member of the ECOWAS parliament. Dickson Tarkighir was born into the family of Mr and Mrs Tarkighir Ubur Adaga. He attended St. Thomas Primary School Ibume, Makurdi Local Government Area from 1976 to 1981 where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC).

He proceeded to Nongov Community Secondary School, Tse-Kyo, Guma Local Government Area, where he graduated in 1986 with a Senior Secondary School Certificate. After a break in his educational pursuit, he was admitted to Edo State University, now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, where he studied between 1998 and 2003 and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He later gained admission to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), in 2008.

Dickson Tarkighir is a marketing consultant. From 1988 to 1991, he served as an apprentice at Mojo Electronics, Umuahia. Between 1992 and 1995, he worked with Okada Air, Kaduna. Later, he went into private business and established Dasnett Mobile Services during the advent of GSM services in Nigeria. He was the MD/CEO, Triggar and Gibbons Ltd, an advertising agency and logistics support service company, and District 4 Lounge, a relaxation outfit in Makurdi, Benue state.

Dickson Tarkighir was a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He worked for the victory of the party at all levels, earning him the appointment of Senior Special Assistant on Industries to the Governor of Benue State in 2009. He was re-appointed in 2011, holding the position until 2014 when he resigned to run for a seat in the National Assembly. He sought the PDP ticket but lost to John Tondo in a primary election described as unfair. He left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he secured the ticket to contest in the 2015 general elections and won the seat representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Abuja.

On 24 July 2018, Tarkighir defected from the APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after being aggrieved with the APC over the handling of the farmers/herdsmen crisis. However, on 22 January 2019, he returned to the APC, stating that efforts by the Federal Government to restore peace in his constituency had pacified him and his people.

Dickson Tarkighir was nominated by the APC to replace Bulaun Peter, who won the primary but passed away. Franc Fagah Utoo challenged his nomination, citing irregularities, but the Supreme Court upheld Tarkighir’s nomination. He was an outspoken advocate for the independence of the legislature and defender of the National Assembly’s institution.

During the 2017 budget debate, Tarkighir explained the increase in the National Assembly budget, attributing it to the impact of the exchange rate on operations. He highlighted the need to replace ghost workers with actual job seekers and advocated for decentralizing voter registration by INEC.

Tarkighir sponsored several bills, including one to create a Department of Cattle Ranches under the Ministry of Agriculture, another to amend the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Act, and others related to health, e-governance, and tobacco control. He also moved motions on flood disaster relief, ghost workers replacement, highway rehabilitation, disaster preparedness, and addressing herdsmen violence.

Some of his constituency projects include solar-powered streetlights, transformers, solar boreholes, a skills acquisition center, roads in Abinsi Township, youth empowerment schemes, health outreach programs, and completion of the Akaakuma Dam. He has been vocal against herdsmen attacks in Benue State, criticizing the federal government’s response and calling for international support for IDPs.

Tarkighir has been critical of the federal government’s handling of the herdsmen-farmers crisis, arguing that President Buhari’s administration has emboldened herdsmen. He has appealed for the declaration of a state of emergency in Benue State and urged the international community to assist displaced persons.

In 2016, reports claimed that 45 lawmakers were elected with only secondary school certificates, including Tarkighir. He denied the report, affirming his qualifications: a GCE, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ambrose Alli University, and an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University.