Extraneous forces Scheming to subvert APC in Taraba- Chieftain
Following the just concluded ward Congress and other activities of the All Progressives Congress in Taraba to kick start preparations for the very much anticipated 2023 general elections, a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress APC in Taraba state Mr. Ezekiel Irmiya Afukonyo has alleged that some external forces are trying to destabilize the party in the state, particularly in Southern part.
Afukonyo who stated this at a press conference in Wukari on Thursday is the board Chairman of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital and a four times governorship aspirant in the state.
According to him the that the battle for the soul of APC has been heightened because the party is now not only hope for the future but also the future of Taraba.
Afukunyo accused a serving Senator from the state for infiltrating some APC members and trying to use them to hijack the structure of the party during the just concluded party’s ward congresses.
“In the APC, it is true that we have personal interests but we don’t allow that to becloud our sense of purpose.
In the southern Taraba here, for instance, Chief David Sabo Kente and I are the major aspirants for the governorship ticket but we didn’t let that stop us from joining hands to tackle some external forces who wanted to come through the back door and highjack the party structure at the last ward congresses.
“We know that there are so many people out there who want to join the party. The APC is big enough to accommodate everyone. All you need to do is come through the door as tens of thousands have been doing and you will be welcomed rather than staying in another political party and scheming to take over the structure you have not contributed anything to build” he said.
Afukunyo who frowned at the poor approach to political of the youths in the state advised them to to get constructively engaged in politics rather than allowing themselves to be used as thugs and dumped after election as their value after the election can only be determined by their innovative and civilized contributions towards the victory of the party rather than mundane service as agents of chaos, manipulations and destabilization.
Worldview recalled that the APC congress which was rocked by skirmishes in many parts of Southern Taraba became fierce in many areas over speculated attempts to install a Taraba PDP sympathiser and the member representing Ibi-Wukari Federal Constituency Mr Danjuma Usman Sidi as ward excos.
Alhaji Adamu Sanusi APC stalwart from Wukari revealed to our correspondent that it was unfortunate that in preparation to his possible decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC), loyalists of the Taraba Senator within the APC were struggling hard to hijack the structure of the party in Southern Zone.
Adamu however stated that on the bright side, the stakeholders from the zone, particularly Chief David Sabo Kente resisted it.
“During the ward Congress some of the Senator’s loyalists including a member of the House of Representatives who just joined the party opposed that the ward leadership should emerge through consensus in an attempt to install new members of the party at the ward level, these people who are working for the Senator want to grab the control of the party from those already in the party but it failed.” he said.
Meanwhile, the Congress held across the 168 wards of Taraba State witnessed power flexing among critical stakeholders of the Party who fought hard to reach a compromise as to how ward leaders of the party, APC would emerge in the State.
From the Congresses, Senator Yusuf A Yusuf took control of the Central Zone, Chief David Sabo Kente and other stakeholders held on to the Southern Zone while In the Northern Taraba, the Minister of Power Engr Sale Mamman lost to two former acting Governors from the Zone, Alhaji Sani Danladi and Alhaji Garba Umar despite his insistence to go for a contest as against the consensus agreed by majority of the stakeholders from the zone.
