Exclusive: How Labour Party Philip Munlip Sold Guber Ticket To Joel Ikenya

Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper have exclusively gathered that Labour Party Governorship Candidate Evangelist Philip Munlip might have accepted huge financial inducement to withdraw from the race in favor of Senator Joel Ikenya.

Joel Ikenya who participated in the People's Democratic Party PDP governorship primary election later romanced with the New Nigerian Peoples Party NNPP where he was expected to contest for Senate, Taraba South will now fly the governorship ticket of the Labour Party in the new political calculation.

Evangelist Munlip had in presence of top members of the Middle Belt Forum and national leaders of Labour Party in Abuja signed to withdraw from the governorship race after receiving a credit alert of N500,000 from the Five Million he was offered to give the governorship ticket to Joel Ikenya, source in party told Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper.

Party sources said Evangelist Munlip could not continue as the Labour Party Governorship Candidate due to 'his failures to manage some
issues.' 

"We had to change Philip Munlip as the candidate of Labour Party because he was not sincere to the agreements he made with the party, he's yet to balance the party it's nomination fee. He was offered the party's nomination after part payment was made but days after he promised to pay the party he failed to meet up with the obligation.

"Also he was holding anti party meetings, he met with his former boss who was a Speaker and candidate in the APC, he agreed to work for the APC governorship candidate during election, the plan was that he will stepped down to endorse Bwacha few days to election.

"Also he has not shown commitment to the party and it's candidates at the state, so we had to sit him down and discussed his withdrawal from the race. He has signed all documents for his withdrawal."  The party source said 

The crisis in Labour Party in Taraba State took a new dimension yesterday as the Governorship Candidate of the party Hon. Evang Philip Munlip has insisted that he will not relinquish his mandate to Joel Ikenya. 

In a letter addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Taraba State, the Candidate has asked INEC not to recognize any other Candidate and not to observe the Primary Election conducted by the party, he said his purported resignation was done under duress.

The party on it part had earlier Written to INEC informing the Commission that the Governorship Candidate have withdrawn his candidacy, and will be conducting a fresh Primary today 18th August, 2022.