By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The Taraba State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the party is poised to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
Briefing journàlists yesterday at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, the stakeholders of the party, led by former Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, said the party has resolved its differences.
Bwacha, who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) over irreconcilable differences between him and the State Governor, Darius Ishiaku, said all the stakeholders of the party had pledged to work together for victory in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
According to him, the new chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, had during their meeting, charged them to work together and ensure that APC wins the State in the 2023 general election.
Senator Bwacha said “We are privileged to be the first state to pay a solidarity visit to the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress. This visit is propelled by the fact that we are a family and we need to show the way that indeed we are one united by common purpose.
“This common purpose is to restore back the glory by ensuring that the new government in Taraba state is APC. We are appealing to all and sundry to join us in working to achieve this.
“Essentially, this is the highlight of our interface with the national chairman. We wish him well, knowing the capacity in him. Knowing his ability to carry everyone along. So, we came in peace, we came in one accord as a family.”
Speaking also on the structures on ground to ensure that APC defeats the ruling PDP in the State, the senator representing Taraba Central, Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, said the party is currently in possession of two senatorial zones, and four House of Representatives seats.
He said the party also boasts of two former Secretaries to the State Governments, and a Federal Commissioner in the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC), in addition to many other key stakeholders in Taraba politics.
According to him, “Taraba is APC and APC is Taraba today and our chances are even greater with all the commonality of the people. The first step for us is to ensure that we capture power in Taraba state. So, we have the greatest chance with the unity that we have.
“The Taraba state is a PDP government for now, but when people are dissatisfied with one thing, they are naturally bound to change. Let me ask one of our colleagues, one of the opinion molders, to also add to this question the answer that will satisfy you.
“Structurally as constituted politically today in Taraba state, we have two senators, (Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, and Senator Yusuf A Yusuf); four out of six federal House Of Representatives members, it is very important to graphically illustrate our presence and spread, that is why we are emboldened to say that come 2023, we have the capacity and strength to capture power in Taraba state.
“Also, here we have five members of the Taraba State House of Assembly, including the Minority Leader of the Taraba state House, who is here. This demonstrates grassroots reach in the state and more are joining us due to alignment and realignment later on.
“We have people whom the President has chosen to man some MDAs. We have Honourable Sabo Kente, here who is representing the North Eastern States in the North East Development Commission. He represents the interest of the six states.
“We have other federal commissioners, and the Minister Of State for Works, who is from Taraba state. We are also happy to announce our sister who is the Deputy National Women Leader, Zainab A Ibrahim. The whole women of Taraba are well behind her and she has a rich pedigree because she is from a well known family in the country.”
He said it is not as if the party is weak or does not have membership, but there are lots of conspiracies woven against them, in such a way that it militates against their success, adding nevertheless, that with all the array of personalities onboard now and those who will soon join the party, they can make bold to say that come 2023, APC will capture Government House and other positions in Taraba state.
