by Ranti Joseph
A coalition of organized forums within the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State on Tuesday has rejected the nomination of Joel Ikenya as a minister from the state, describing it as a political miscalculation that could rob the party of victory at the forthcoming elections.
This was disclosed in a letter of protest signed by leaders of various groups in the party including Ahmed Sani, PDP Fans Club; Christy Joshua, PDP Concerned Members; Peter Ezra, PDP Taraba Youth Congress; Musa Adi, Goodluck Sambo Support Group; and Abuduallhi Adamu, Neighbour to Neighbour 2015. The group said it was unfair and ill-timed to nominate Ikenya from the same Southern Taraba that produced the PDP governorship candidate, Dickson Ishiaku.
“Our dilemma arises from the fact that instead of uniting our party, the nomination of the minister at this time would cause a serious disaffection and tension in our party,” the group said in the letter addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan. The injustice done to our party’s delegates and candidates in Wadata Plaza Abuja on the bogus Primary election is still fresh in the minds of our party members and teeming supporters. Available records have shown that since 1999 to date there was never a time when a gubernatorial flag bearer and ministerial nominee came from the same zone in Taraba state,” it said.
The groups said that the nomination could mean that the party no longer needs the support of the two other Senatorial zones-Taraba North and Central; the party is in serious political crisis; or it had sacrificed the state to the opposition. “This insensitive decision will undoubtedly affect the voting behaviour and chances of the PDP to win the forthcoming general elections in both the Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/State Assembly elections in Taraba State,” it added.
The group urged President Jonathan to look into the nomination amidst growing tensions and uncertainties in the PDP Taraba State chapter. “We urge the President and our great party to reconsider this decision on the ministerial nominee from Taraba state in order to save the soul of our great party from pending disintegration and subsequently defeat at the poll,” it explained.
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