Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State have warned President Jonathan that he may lose Taraba state if urgent steps are not taken to reverse his position on political happenings in the state.
The PDP members in an open letter to the President and the PDP National Working Committee (NCW) titled , ‘’Save the Soul of PDP in Taraba State,’’ a copy of which was sent to DAILY POST said the party’s imposed governorship candidate, Dairus Ishaku cannot win the state for the PDP.
The letter signed by Chairman, PDP CONCERN MEMBERS-TARABA STATE, Mr. Peter Shadrack and his Secretary, Barr. Bilyaminu L. Maihanchi said a gubernatorial candidate in Taraba State must be very popular in order to deliver the state to the party.
The party members said, ” to the surprise of many PDP supporters in Taraba State, the ticket for the governorship race was given to an unpopular candidate who cannot deliver.
“Our analysis of the voting strength towards the 2015 election reveals that two candidates from the southern zone will equally share the votes between them. Unfortunately the Southern Zone has the least number of eligible voters of 396, 506 from five LGA’s against the northern zone with 532,037 from Six LGA’s which is the highest followed by the Central Zone with 446,892 from five LGA’s. There was Mass decamping from Southern Taraba including a former PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant with his supporters. In a similar development, there’s only one Senator left in PDP now with Three (3) Hon. Members of the House of Reps. By this, the PDP is in serious disaster in Taraba State. As if it is not over, some powerful members of the Taraba State House of Assembly are already in the opposition, and the decamping continues by the day, ” The members lameted.
They further said. ‘’It is an open secret that there is a strong relationship between one of the PDP stakeholders and the strong opposition Governorship Party candidate in the forth-coming 2015 elections. However, our great Party -the PDP, always downplays the dangers we have foreseen, as if the PDP is sacrificing Taraba State to the opposition.’’
The core PDP members urged the NWC to intervene and ask the National Leadership of the Party to reconsider its decision on the gubernatorial candidate by bringing an acceptable popular candidate or risk losing the general election to the opposition Party.
The full letter below:
25 Hospital Road Jalingo, Taraba State. January, 2015.
The National Working Committee (NCW) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
AN OPEN LETTER: SAVE THE SOUL OF PDP IN TARABA STATE
1. We the concern Members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State deem it fit to inform you on the situation on ground with hard facts.
2. It will interest the NWC of our great party the PDP to know that since 1999 Taraba State has been PDP control state with hundreds of thousands of supporters envied by other North-Eastern States. Before the recent turn of events in the Party affairs in Taraba State, it could be seen as an under-statement to say PDP will emerge victorious in the forthcoming 2015 General Elections.
3. Our attention has been drawn to the avoidable crisis the PDP in Taraba State had plunged itself under the watchful eyes of The National Executives and National Working Committee of the Party in Wadata Plaza Abuja.
4. We strongly believe that, the reason why PDP acted this way may be based on Zoning issue and a primordial selfish interest of some powers that be. The PDP ought to have addressed these issues before hand. Let it be known to the NWC that there has never been a time in the history of Taraba State where Zoning determines gubernatorial candidates. In fact, since 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 there was no gubernatorial election conducted without a candidate from the Taraba South. Then, how comes that the issue of zoning will just appear from the blues. Aren’t they aware of zoning? When they were contesting? Ask the vanguards of zoning if there was any written agreement to it? Had they won in any of those contests, would they still complain of zoning? We don’t need anybody to tell us that the bogus primary elections were a case of outright disregard to due process, civility and a breach of internal party democracy. This selection exercise alone spelt doom for the chances of the PDP to maintain its hegemony as the ruling party in Taraba State in the coming general elections. It will definitely result to losing our teaming supporters to the opposition parties because of the un-fair treatment done to them by the party. 5. A challenging contest as governorship election requires a popular candidate. A gubernatorial candidate in Taraba State must be very popular in order to deliver the state. To the surprise of many PDP supporters in Taraba State the ticket for governorship was given to an un-popular candidate who cannot deliver. 6. Our analysis of the voting strength towards the 2015 election reveals that with two candidates from the southern zone the votes will be equally shared between them. Unfortunately the Southern Zone has the least number of eligible voters 396, 506 from five LGA’s compared against the northern zone with 532,037 from Six LGA’s which is the highest followed by the Central Zone with 446,892 from five LGA’s. There was Mass decamping from Southern Taraba including a former PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant with his supporters to Social Democratic Party SDP. In a similar development there’s only one Senator left in PDP now with Three (3) Hon. Members of the House of Reps. By this the PDP is in serious disaster in Taraba State. As if it is not over some powerful members of the Taraba State House of Assembly are already in opposition. And the decamping continues by day. 7. Consequently, Tarabans are not willing to accept in whatever disguise an anointed or imposition of candidates this time around. You don’t expect an un-popular candidate without grassroots mobilization to deliver Taraba State for PDP in the Coming 2015 election within very short time. At present the opposition parties are having a good laugh at the PDP’s mis-calculation in its choice of the gubernatorial candidate. 8. It is an open secret that there is strong relationship between one of the PDP stakeholder and the strong opposition Governorship Party candidate in the forth-coming 2015 elections. However, our great Party the PDP, always down plays the dangers we have foreseen, as if the PDP sacrifices Taraba State to the opposition. 9. With high sense of responsibility and total commitment to the victory of our great party, the PDP, in Taraba State we urge the NWC to intervene and ask the National Leadership of the Party to re-consider its decision on the gubernatorial candidate by bringing an acceptable popular candidate or risk losing the general election to the opposition Party. It is not too late.
PDP CONCERN MEMBERS TARABA STATE
– Mr. Peter Shadrack – Chairman – Barr. Bilyaminu L. Maihanchi – Secretary
– Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) President Federal Republic Of Nigeria. – HE. Alh. Adamu Ahmed Mu’azu PDP National Chairman
– Chief. Tony Anenih BOT Chairman PDP
– Sen. David Mark (GCON) Senate President Federal Republic of Nigeria
– Prof. Ahmed Rufai Alkali S.A Political To HE Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan The President Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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