Ahead of the 2023 general elections, aspirants vying for the office of the governor from the Northern Taraba Zone have been called to close ranks and work assiduously in harmony, eschew politics of bitterness, and ensure mass mobilization that is devoid of rancor for the success to ensure that one of them clinch PDP Ticket in the State.
The Chairman, Elders Forum of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Taraba Northern Zone, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Musa made the call during a Press Conference held on Monday 14th March 2022 in Jalingo.
Musa, who was the pioneer Taraba State PDP Chairman in 1998, also implored all atatutory and ad-hoc delegates from the zone and indeed the central and southern zones, participating in the party nomination exercise to always refer to the rotational governorship arrangement agreed upon ahead of 2023 Election and vote only for any northern Taraba aspirant of their choice.
He said the forum has observed the increasing disquiet and continuous onslaught on the sensitivity of loyal members of the Party, particularly those that are the founding fathers and kept faith with the Party since its formation twenty-three (23) years ago, occasioned by the wild allegations making the rounds about some ulterior plans to jettison the rotation of governorship arrangement established by the state chapter of the party.
Musa added that “while it may be convenient to wave the allegations as spurious as they come, the Northern Zone Elders Forum is deeply worried about the implications of silence on this matter which fast causing disaffection among members of the PDP and unnecessarily overheating the polity with all the attendant consequences on the success of the Party in the forthcoming 2023 Elections.”
“Taking a queue from the famous quote by American President, Thomas Jefferson, that “evil triumphs when good men do nothing”, the forum decided to step forward and do something.
“Viewing these allegations as ill-motivated handiworks of ‘agent provocateur’ and moles within the PDP who are bend on reversing the twenty-three years’ success story that the PDP in Taraba State has become unrivaled by any other states in the entire northern part of Nigeria,” Said Musa.
According to him, the Forum has resolved to draw the attention of the leadership of the party in the state to what it called “uncanny and sinister motives of certain elements within the PDP to cause disaffection among members and undermine the party by attempting to jettison the already established arrangement, which senior stakeholders, members of the State and National Assembly were signatories.”
Alhaji Abdulrazaq Musa noted that the zoning facilitated the election of Governor Darius Ishaku in 2015 and his re-election in 2019 foreclosing the party’s ticket to all aspirants from any zone other than the south, including the immediate former Governor of the State.
However, the Northern Taraba Elders Forum pledged its loyalty to the administration of Governor Darius Ishaku, and acknowledged his remarkable strides in the development of the State, while they prayed that his successor will continue to build on the structures put in place.
“We acknowledged and appreciate the exemplary and a wonderful demonstration of selflessness, fairness, solidarity, equity, and togetherness exhibited recently by certain Groups from Southern and Central Zones clling on the Party to demonstrate integrity and respect the laid-down arrangement.” Musa concluded.
Our Correspondent observed that representatives of all the elders in PDP from Northern Taraba Zone including the leader of Taraba Northern Select Group and former Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Simon Shimpu was at the conference.
The Candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for Mayo Belwa constituency Adamawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Musa Mahmud Kallamu, has hailed the verdict of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on the constituency election.
Hon. Kallamu expressed hope that the appellate court’s judgement will lead to the return of his stolen mandate during the re-run election ordered to be conducted very soon, and congratulated his electorate for the victory at court.
The appeal court on Thursday, upheld the decision of the National/Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which invalidated election of Hon. Musa Ibrahim Italiya, at 7 polling units and subsequently ordered for re-run election.
Hon. Italiya, who is incumbent member representing the constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC), appealed the judgement but lost out at the appellate court where his appeal was dismissed.
The court had while affirming the nullification of his election, declared that the lawmaker’s appeal constituted an abuse of court process, and ordered him to pay the sum of N500,000 to Hon. Kallamu.
While reacting on the judgement on Friday, Hon. Hon. Kallamu welcomed the judgement, saying that the truth has finally unveiled itself in the matter, saying that no doubt, their seat at the hallowed chamber will be reclaimed very soon.
He conveyed his appreciation to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for standing behind him, his electorate and ensuring truth prevails at the end of the day.
He thanked God Almighty, his teeming electorate as well as the judiciary for demostrating the fact that it is the last hope of the common man and for ensuring that his votes did not go in vain.
He disclosed that he has the mandate of Mayo Belwa constituents and knows what went wrong during the election more especially at the affected polling units where election was rigged.
According to him, his electorate, who were overwhelmed with the outcome of the judgement, are really prepared to finish what they started, assuring that he is very optimistic of reclaiming his mandate because the units are PDP stronghold.
The affected polling units include: unit 013, Model Primary School, unit 021, Yelwa Primary School, unit 039, Model (IV) Primary School, unit 047, Wuro Mana Islamiya Primary School, unit 004, Chukkol Joda G.D.S.S., unit 009 ,Wuro Aminu Kofar Jauro and unit 018 Wuro Mana I.
The Taraba State Forum of Islamic Preachers has applauded Governor Agbu Kefas for his all-inclusive leadership style.
The State Chairman of the Forum, Mallam Usaini Isma’il made the commendation during a press briefing in Jalingo.
He mentioned equal representation as the watchword of the governor, noting that the just concluded Local Government Council’s polls proved the inciting Islamic Preachers both within and outside the state wrong, as Muslims were carried along.
“The masses both Muslim, Christians, and idol worshipers came out during last Saturday’s LG election and unanimously voted for PDP in the whole sixteen (16) LGAs and it was done fifty-fifty, which shows that Governor Agbu Kefas is not a religious and tribal bigot.
“The good people of Taraba State have trust and belief in the PDP, that was why they voted for candidates of the party for all the sixteen local government council’s chairmen and councilors, and they are also satisfied with the leadership style of Dr. Agbu Kefas because he gave the Muslim equal opportunity with the Christians in the election.
“Dr. Agbu Kefas did not come to steal the resources of Taraba State nor not to divide the people, instead, he came to transform the state as everyone can see from the developmental projects he embarked on. Go to the Taraba State College of Nursing and see the kind of projects that are going on, and also go to the State Specialists Hospital and see how it was renovated.
“Also the same thing you will see if you go to the Kefas Palliative Market where food items would be sold at a subsidized rate for Tarabans, the Government House Juma’at Mosque was also renovated, courtesy of Governor Kefas,” Isma’il stated.
Malam Usaini Isma’il reiterated that the just concluded LG election proved to incite Islamic Preachers within and outside the state wrong, as Muslim Ummah were carried along, adding that the governor has again proved that his administration is carrying everyone along irrespective of religion or tribal inclination.
He expressed dismay over the way some Islamic Preachers always only talk about the negative and neglect the good deeds of Governor Kefas’s administration which he described as unfair.
“We know how Governor Kefas is assisting Islam by giving huge amounts of money to those Islamic Preachers but you will never for one hear them appreciating him and telling their followers the good gestures he is doing for the Muslim Ummah in the state.
The Chairman who quoted a verse in the Holy Qur’an said” Anybody who doesn’t appreciate someone for a good gesture, will never appreciate Allah (SWA) and called on those intending to jeopardize the developmental plans of the present administration to have a rethink and support the governor to succeed.
He further pointed out that both Muslims and Christians alike benefited from the N30,000 minimum and the free education in the state.
Malam Usaini Isma’il, however, appealed to their followers and the people of the state at large to sustain prayers and fasting for Governor Kefas and others in positions of authority to enable them to execute the people’s orientated programs and policies of their administrations.
Commenting on the awaiting Appeal Court judgment filed by the aggrieved NNPP Gubernatorial candidate, Prof. Muhammed Sani Yahaya, Malam Isma’il urged all politicians and the relevant stakeholders at the National level to disregard those Islamic scholars that are going around lobbying to interfere in the case and collect the people’s mandate of leadership given to Dr. Agbu Kefas of PDP, saying that it is uncalled for.
“Everybody knows that the people of Taraba State have massively came out during the governorship election and voted for Dr. Agbu Kefas, therefore, we are optimistic that the court will vindicate our mandate that we gave Dr . Kefas as the Tribunal did.
“As leaders of the Muslim Ummah in the state, we know those Islamic scholars that are going around meeting people at the National level and telling them lies about the governor just for their pockets. We know and they also know the monies that Governor Kefas is giving them, even recently he gave them money besides the previous ones including during the Maulud period but they have never come out and told the world what the Man is doing for the Muslim Ummah,” Isma’il revealed.
He equally urged the judiciary to carry out its mandate according to the laid down rules.
The All Progressives Congress APC Nasarawa State Chapter Says, that the Appeal Court decision which reversed the earlier nullification of its mandate at the lower court headed by Justice Ezekiel Ajaiyi’s Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Panel is a well-deserved victory for the entire People of the State.
In a Statement issued to newsmen in Lafia by the APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Otaru Douglas said the triumph has again, validated and reaffirmed the overwhelming support of the Party and its candidate Abdullahi Sule during the March 18 Governorship Election.
The Statement explained that the judgment which is a reflection of APC’s popular acceptability in the State is also a big win for democracy and a victory for the good people of Nasarawa State.
According to the Statement, the resounding victory at the Appeal Court is a testament to the trust and confidence the citizens of the state have in the APC-led Administration and the unwavering commitment of the Governor to the progress and development of Nasarawa State.
It also, urges the APC supporters to celebrate with all sense of responsibility, therefore calling on the opposition People’s Democratic Party PDP, and its candidate Dr. David Emmanuel Ombugadu to put aside all differences and rally behind the administration of Governor Abdullahi A Sule to move the State forward, promote egalitarianism and ensure a peaceful state for all.