Ministerial slot: Taraba APC stakeholders threaten crash party over delay in appointment
Callistus Agwaza, Jalingo
The crisis rocking the Taraba State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have taken a nosedive as some critical stakeholders of the party are threatening to collapse the entire party structure into another political party, following what they called negligence of the chapter of the party by the national leadership.
A stakeholder who spoke to our correspondent in confidence on Sunday said that the party has done very well in ensuring that President Muhammadu Buhari gets overwhelming support in the state since 2015 but was disappointed that the President has never reciprocated the gesture to the party.
He said that the failure of the President to appoint another Minister for Taraba several months after he dropped the then Minister of Power Saleh Mamman has shown clearly that the President may not have the interest of the party at heart especially now that the party is warming up for another general election.
“In 2015, the APC gave the President overwhelming support in Taraba. Infact, you will remember that the crowd that came out to welcome him was so much that it led to a stampede and the death of several persons. The only thing we got was the minister of Women Affairs who later left the party ahead of the 2019 elections. We went into that election almost naked. Even at that, we still have him landslide in Taraba.
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“Now again, after the 2019 elections, the President appointed someone who was little known in the party and he could not galvanize the party. But at least he was there. Sadly, we are facing the next general elections and there is no clear plan for the party. Several months after the President sacked the minister, Taraba state has remained with a minister and no serious national appointee. This is detrimental for the party.
“We had hoped that the President will look at the records and see those that actually worked for the party over the years and appoint someone who has the track record of bringing the people together so that all the issues bothering the party could be addressed and yet nothing is been done. So what is the point staying in the party? As it is, the party needs a leader apart from the state officials who can bring all the stakeholders together to sort out our issues and prepare ahead of 2023.
“I can tell you in confidence that already consultation is underway to move the party structure in Taraba to another party. What is the point staying when we are not appreciated and have been abandoned by our leaders? What is the motivation here when hard work and absolute loyalty counts as nothing? It is this same action that cost the party Taraba state governorship in 2019. We can not sit back and watch that happen again.
“To further worsen the situation, we learnt that some people in government are lobbying for some persons who are either not party members at all or are, at best, Fairweather members, to get tickets and appointments. What message are they trying to send to those that have worked faithfully and tirelessly for the party? So don’t be surprised if you wake up tomorrow to witness the death of the APC and birth of a new party in the state”.
The APC has been through some challenging times in the state with some attributing it to a lack of clearly acceptable leader of the party at the state level who can bring all the stakeholders to a round table and sort out their differences in a manner that will be tolerable by all parties involved.
Another member of the party Alhaji Sani Umar noted that the reward system of the party seems to work well everywhere else except in Taraba state.
Umar said that “the APC does not consider Taraba chapter of the party for anything at all. As a state where the President won election back to back even though the PDP is the ruling party in the state, it is sad that we are not considered for appointments and other good things that come with been in leadership.
“Even the ministerial slot we should enjoy constitutionally has been vacant for several months now. How do we progress as a party without support from our leaders at the national level? How do you convince the people to work for the party wholeheartedly when there is no reward system for them? I think the party may be heading for a major crisis if this is not urgently addressed and corrected”.
