By Andrew ojih, Jalingo
Those eyeing Taraba Government House in 2019,
especially from the southern zone, have to forget
the idea, as there will be no vacancy.
The state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
chairman, Hon. Victor Bala Kona stated this
yesterday.
The chairman also mocked those he called
“Abuja-based politicians” whom he said have no
serious agenda for their people other than their
personal plans.
Kona maintained that both the central and
northern zones of the state would not consider
any candidate from the sout other than the
incumbent governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku,
adding that recognising any other candidate
other than the governor would distort the power
rotation equation of the state.
He said, “forget all the noise and talks. I’m a
politician and I’m telling you authoritatively that
there is no vacancy in Taraba Government House
until 2023. The time hasn’t come yet now so we
are a bit circumspect about it. But the truth is
that we from the North and Central zone have
decided in principle to ensure power remains in
the south and that the current governor enjoys
all that his predecessors have all enjoyed.
“They did eight years each in the current
dispensation of politics. So the case of Southern
Taraba can’t be different. I want you to know
how the average political activist in our zones
think. They are in support of eight years only for
the southern zone. We don’t want a situation
where a new candidate would come and alter
any equation on ground. A fresh candidate may
start sayin he would also do eight years in
office. That would leave the other zones
shortchanged. Because in 2023, we hope power
would shift away again from the southern zone.
“A governor may say he doesn’t want second
term but th truth is that it is their right and
privileges to seek a reelection. change o
candidate means you would have a new governor
who wants eight years. The other zones can’t
afford to take the risk and remain irrelevant.
“We all unanimously voted for Governor Darius
Ishaku on the grounds that he would transform
our state and he has been doing very well in
spite of al that has been bogging him like the
two years of litigation.”
Speaking further on the issue, Kona told
newsmen that there is no credible opposition in
the state. He stressed that since 1999, Taraba
state has remained in the fold of the PDP and
hasn’t shifted grounds.
He noted that the opposition has always
attempted to take the state but always fail
saying said, “I hear you mentioning opposition
earlier. OK, let me declare to you that there is no
strong opposition in Taraba. Who are the
opposition?
“Mention them to me now. My point is they are
not any opposition. These ar all products of the
PDP. So when they need anything, they
disappear into other parties.”