Exclusive: Victor Bala Kona Dangles 4bn For PDP Guber Ticket

   

·         Members  Ask PDP Chair To Step Aside For Accompanying Aspirant To Purchase Form

 

A governorship aspirant in the People's Democratic Party PDP, Chief Victor Bala Kona has allegedly offered about Four billion to a key leader of the party in Taraba State to secure the party's ticket in the election, Taraba Truth and Fact was told.

Chairman of the PDP Concern Leaders Forum, Mallam Aliyu Manzo in an interview  said  Victor Bala Kona who had purchased his governorship nomination forms alongside Governor Ishaku's nomination forms to contest Southern Taraba senatorial seat is said to be dangling the 4 billion to party leader in the state in exchange for the party's ticket,

"We have it on good authority that a leader of the party in the state has strike a deal to sell the PDP's governorship ticket to Victor Bala Kona for 4 Billion, he was promised among other thing machineries and structure of the state government; forcing other aspirants in the party to step down for him and manipulation of the PDP's Primary election process to aid his emergence as the candidate of the PDP. A meeting is to be held to anoint Victor Bala Kona as the favored aspirant to fly the party's ticket.

"Victor Bala Kona also pledged to give government protection to the Leader after his emergence as Governor of the state, its very important we alert PDP members on the looming danger of selling the Governorship ticket to persons with many political baggage.

"We are worried that Victor Bala Kona have many baggages and cannot win election in Taraba state, his acceptability in the Northern zone is very low, also he stepped on a lot of toes while he was party chairman in the state. Many stakeholder of PDP are quietly working against him but this leader for selfish reasons want to force him on the PDP.

"The EFCC are investigating Victor Bala Kona over several uncompleted contract he got while he was a board member of TETFUND, with his case file still opened at the EFCC, the party might faced a lot of  legal hurdles presenting Victor Bala for general election.

Manzo said leaders of the PDP in Taraba state  must put the interest of the Party ahead of any personal or financial interest,  noting that the PDP must present candidates that can win election, candidates that are credible and well oriented on how

 

"We are calling on this leader who is also seeking for an election to jettisoned the idea of forcing Victor Bala Kona on the party, members of the party should be allowed to freely and democratically choose their candidates in a transparent primary election," Manzo said.

Meanwhile outrage has greeted action  of the Taraba State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Col Agbu Kefas for following  his predecessor, Victor Bala Kona, to purchase his governorship nomination and expression of interest forms in Abuja.

Speaking to our correspondent in Jalingo, some party members, including Umar Gassol, Japhet Munga, and Veronica Danladi said the picture clearly showed that the party chairman and by extension the governor have endorsed Kona ahead of other aspirants.

An aide to a governorship aspirant in the state said, "My boss and most guber aspirants viewed the picture as a ploy to discourage other aspirants from buying the form. We suggest the PDP chairman should step aside because he has taken a biased position already.

"It was also alleged that the party chairman and Victor Bala also picked Senate nomination form for the governor which has not gone down well with us.

A lawmaker in the state also wondered why the PDP chairman would openly throw his weight behind an aspirant in a contest of such a magnitude.

The lawmaker said, "We are in a democracy and the party chairman has a right as an individual to support anybody, but as a party chairman he has a moral burden to support all aspirants.

"Is that how he will be accompanying all aspirants to the National Secretariat of our party in Abuja to buy their forms?"

 

2023: We Have No Anointed Candidate – Taraba PDP

 

 

The leadership of the Taraba State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied allegations making the round that the party has anointed a candidate for the number one position of the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.

 

 

Debunking the rumours on Wednesday in Jalingo, during a stakeholders meeting, the state chairman, Col. Kefas Agbu (rtd), said the party has "no anointed candidate" adding that "everybody is free to contest and win the election."

 

Stressing the party's readiness to provide a level playing ground for all the aspirants, the transformational agenda of the party for the state, he said is aimed at accommodating the people's choice for leadership selection.

 

He said the desire for a credible and transparent leader that will transform the state will be truncated if the people are overruled and a candidate imposed during the process.

 

 

He added that the party will ensure the emergence of a credible candidate.

 

"The party's desire is not just to win but also ensure the desired quality leadership delivery for the state," said Kefas.

 

The party chairman who also went ahead to dispel the rumours making the round that the party is at the verge of being expunged from the state due to internal skirmishes, said "We have no crack in PDP, we have been winning and we are set again to win again."

 

Speaking through his deputy, Engineer Haruna Manu, the state governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, urged party members to be committed in order to emerge victorious in the forthcoming polls.

 

He said, "Do not allow the opposition to takeover the state. Taraba has been PDP since 1999, and is required of you to ensure that PDP clear all the positions and maintain it existence in the state."