Troubles Ahead of New PDP Chair, as Members Set Agenda

• Ask him to Unite Party, Zone Guber ticket to Northern Zone

• New party Chairman yet to reach out to Sen. Bwacha, Ex Speaker- Manzo

 

 

 

Members and loyalists  of the People Democratic Party PDP in Taraba State have set agenda for the newly elected Chairman of the Party, Kefas Agbu, saying uniting the ruling party must be his topmost priority at the moment.

 

They argued that sense of belonging must return to the party in ensuring that the party continues as the ruling party and that all aggrieved members must be reconciled to ensure chances in the 2023 election are not jeopardize. 

The members noted that with the party trajectory in the state, there was need to balance the equilibrium by ensuring that PDP zoned its governorship ticket to the North and allow an aspirant from the zone emerge its governorship candidate come 2023. 

The members  urged the newly elected executives to  influence the Governor in advertising the PDP through developmental projects, youth empowerment program and payment of scholarships for scholars in the state 

 

According to party members who spoke to Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper, the signals emerging from some quarters and camps of party bigwigs in the state, there was need for true reconciliation and consultations to avoid massive decamping of members allegedly said to be in the offing. 

 

It would be recalled that the party had last week Wednesday held its congress  in Jalingo, the state capital which was adjudged to be peaceful as against permutations from opposition camps. 

However, party bigwigs including Emmanuel Bwacha, senator representing Taraba Southern Zone, Abel Peter Diah, immediate past speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Riman Shawulu, member representing Ussa/Donga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, and David Fuoh, member representing Sadauna Gashaka/Kurimi Federal Constituency were absent from the congress.

Others were Mark Bako Useni, former speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly and member representing Takum II, Charles Mejankai, immediate past deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly, Garba Agiya, representing Takum I, among others.

A member of the party Alhaji Aliyu Manzo express worries that the new PDP chairman is yet to reach out to critical stakeholders in the party who are aggrieved and short changed at the Ward congresses.

"I can tell you that the new PDP chairman has not extended the olive hand to Senator Bwacha and the former speaker. Our hopes are high that they might be a genuine reconciliation which is in the interest of the party, Hon Kefas must understand his race against time. No doubt the PDP is divided and he has the task of reuniting it.

"while I believe those leaders are open to negotiation, it will be a tough task ahead because many of them did not made input at the composition of the ward executive which is critical for candidates to emerge but I believe God will give the PDP Chairman the wisdom to sail through," Manzo said. 

The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku however enjoined Kefas and his team to work for betterment of the party and ensure oneness among members. 

Declaring the congress both at the local governments and state levels as a success, he urged  members of the party to support the newly elected executives for the overall interest of PDP in the state.

On his part, a Senior special Adviser to the Governor, Ismailia Yushau Maihanci called for maximum support for the new leadership of party to succeed.

According to him, it is incumbent on the Kefas-led party executives to strive in moving the party forward, stressing that machinery must be set in motion to ensure party members are catered for and recognised where necessary. 

He further called on the state officials of the party from wards, local government and state to carry everybody along for the progress of the party, and that success of every political party lies on cooperation its leaders get from supporters..

Also, the state House of Assembly Speaker, Dr. Joseph Kunini, said that the new executive must build on maturity of members to achieve lasting peace among rank and file of the party.

He urged the new leadership to "take up the new task ahead of them with all seriousness as the party now, more than ever, needs focused leadership to stay afloat and maintain the goodwill it has enjoyed over the decades in the state".

However, the new chairman assured party members that he would serve and position PDP for perpetual victory and ensures the party continues to be  reason why democracy must thrive in Nigeria. 

"In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see service. In addition, let me tell you something. The only thing that separates people is opportunity. You have given me this opportunity and I will use it to better the lives of us all,". He said in his acceptance speech.