Taraba PDP holds LG primaries by consensus
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State has held its primary election in preparation to the forthcoming local government council polls by consensus.
Publicity Secretary, Inuwa Bakari, explained that the consensus primaries became imperative as the party was keeping to the Coronavirus social distancing orders.
The names of the successful candidates were being prepared when this reporter visited the party’s headquarters in Jalingo -the Taraba State capital on Wednesday.
Governor Darius Ishaku has relaxed the lockdown and other restrictions in the State in preparation for the election, it was learnt.
Speaking to The Nation, Bakari said the PDP primaries went without dispute or rancour. He disclosed that Governor Ishaku who approved the consensus arrangement, had asked all the PDP stakeholders to go to their various constituencies and partake in the nomination, which he said went smoothly.
The PDP spokesman boasted that the PDP, being the ruling party in Taraba, will sweep all the seats of the chairmen and councilors in the 16 local government councils of the State.
It was gathered that most of the candidates for the chairmanship are serving caretakers of the councils.
“All our candidates for the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections emerged by consensus. You know, we were avoiding gathering crowds because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“To get the consensus candidates, all the PDP stakeholders: senators, Houses of Reps and Assembly members, commissioners, Advisers and party officials participated in the exercise.
“Yet, the PDP under the chairmanship of Victor Bala, still asked delegates to go home and cast the ballots in line with the laid down procedures of conducting party primaries.
“While the exercise was ongoing, officials of the party and the electoral body were monitoring to ensure the exercise was legitimately carried out.
“With the primaries now successfully held, we (PDP) are prepared for the council elections,” Bakari said.
Chairman of the Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC), Philip Duwe, has fixed June 30 as date for the local government council polls. Party primaries ended on Tuesday.
