Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, has picked his nomination form in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he is waiting to see the candidate other political parties will throw up to challenge him in next year’s guber poll.
Special Adviser on Political Matters, Abubakar Bawa, the San Turaki Gashaka, who spoke in a press conference in Jalingo for the governor, after picking the nomination form on his behalf, said “there is nothing to worry about.”
He said: “The governor is ready for whoever the oppositions will nominate to challenge him at the election. In 2015, the election was a two-horse race between the PDP and the APC. In the end, PDP won with a landslide.
“PDP won because it presented the right candidate (Darius Ishaku). The same scenario seems to be playing out. We are only waiting to see the candidate APC will field this time around.”
Bawa said, although, PDP is very democratic enough to welcome any governorship aspirant who may want to contest on the PDP platform, members however, have unanimously agreed that Ishaku should fly the party’s banner.
The governor’s political adviser said: “I can advance many reasons why I am optimistic Ishaku will be reelected. None of the opposition parties, including APC which is the main opposition party in Taraba State, has a candidate that is better than Ishaku.
“There is no party that can withstand the PDP in Taraba State. The PDP is an opposition in the country, but in Taraba it is the ruling party. And it has been the ruling party since 1999. So, we believe there is no other political party here apart from the PDP. Even if there are other parties, we don’t take them serious.
“Besides political parties, Taraba people want someone who naturally cares for them. And Darius Ishaku is the answer; he is one leader who has deep love and rare passion for Taraba people; how they eat, dwell and make progress bother him. For now, he is just the right person.
“Therefore, in sha Allah (with God on our side), I think we will triumph at the poll, because of the governor’s performance and goodwill. I have been in politics in Taraba State for long so I know what I am talking about.
“Recently, I went round the State to do a silent opinion poll, and the goodwill has been overwhelming for the governor. Nevertheless, the PDP is working hard. The party chairman, Victor Bala, and all his party executives, are leaving no stone unturned; the governor is doing his part –by providing developments; and we are working very hard and still soliciting support from the electorate to make sure we return the governor for a second term.
“The general consensus is that Ishaku should do a second term. Rev. Jolly Nyame did 10 years from northern zone, from 1992-1993 and 1999-2007. Late Pharm. Danbaba Suntai, from central zone, did eight years (2007-2015). So the fairest thing to do, as it has become our zoning formula, is to allow Ishaku, who is from the southern zone, to also do eight years, to complete the rotation.
“And to the best of my knowledge, the PDP stakeholders from his area (southern Taraba) have no other candidate. They have all agreed that Ishaku has done well. Bringing another person, even from the same southern zone, will affect our political arrangement.
“The northern and central zones are also in full support of the arrangement to give Ishaku the party’s ticket and subsequently re-elect him for a second term.
“In terms of performance, he has scored a distinction everyone can attest to. Ishaku has done well in education, agriculture, health, infrastructure and so many other areas. So, we are yet to see his challenger.”
