Justification for Regime Change in Taraba State 2023

By Raymond Enoch

Taraba State since May 29th, 1999 has elected three Executive Governors each of which governed the state eight years, as such even the current administration is also expected complete its eight years by May 29th ,2023.

All the governors in Taraba State have been elected under the platform of the  People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as efforts to clinch the number one seat  at general elections by other political parties has never become successful. This gives credence to what some people tend to boast that Taraba State is a PDP State.

What gave rise to this conclusions? Why is it that the PDP has continued to generate so much interest in Taraba State while other states in Nigeria and especially in the North East has had its fair share of political party dynamics and governance leadership changes?

Paradigm News went round to find out from some electorates across the state why and if this assertion that Taraba is a PDP State is true, it’s the level of development under the ruling party for the twenty two years now anything to reckon with, are the people satisfied with the provision of good governance in Taraba State by the PDP-Led Governments.

Cecelia Danladi a Petty trader in Jalingo the Taraba State Capital lamented the current state of hardship faced by most Tarabans blamed it on the mismanagement of the state resources by the successive governments.

“We need change of regime in Taraba State to enable because the suffering in Taraba is becoming worst by each passing day, let other political parties also come in and let’s see  what they can do to develop the state, we are in dare need of help” she added.

Komu Marafa speaking in the same vein said that Change is inevitable, when it’s time to change it will announces itself and naturally that will come to stay.

“When it’s time to change it is usually obvious, even for our body system, when it’s ready for change every organs of your body will signal that”

For Yunusa Haruna, PDP stalwart, the PDP as it stands now in Taraba State is the only party that can continue to keep Taraba State united, one indivisible entity.

“With the level of development, peace and tranquility in the State for all this years of PDP rule, we are satisfied and have our firm believe that it will win again and again to govern the state” he boasted.

With the recent happenings, it does not seem like key political power brokers are watching with keen interest changes sweeping across the North East states where seating governments lost to rival political parties in Bauchi, Adamawa, Gombe states leaving only   Taraba, Borno and Yobe to have been under parties that ruled them since 1999, though with changes from APP, ANPP and now APC.

Although opposition Political Parties have been offering olive vines of political changes in Taraba State unsuccessfully since 1999, sometimes even ending up in Court Litigations through Elections Tribunals up to the Supreme Court.

The dynamics and circumstances in Taraba State as the build -up to 2023 general elections heightens with major internal wrangling’s in PDP as a ruling party that has always been there since 1999, could it be a sign for the political change some Tarabans yarn for?

Firstly, major political actors who have been in and out of government in the PDP are no longer members of the party .They have pitched tents with the ruling party at the national level and some of them are key political office holders in the All Progressive Congress (APC) Federal government in Nigeria, a scenario some Political analyst hold the view that it is possible to change a government back home in Taraba State.

Especially that some legislators at the National Assembly, State House of Assembly have also moved from the PDP to other political parties. This type of combination of political forces, it is argued poses a threat to PDP continues hold to governance and political power in Taraba State.

 Secondly, The Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Representative Danj S.S, Senator Yusuf A.Yusuf , and some members of House of Assembly in Taraba State who are not first timers would definitely be a cause of worry for Taraba State PDP in its determination to hold on to power come 2023.

Another factor peddled that could cause the party it’s hold to power is, it’s 2023 governorship flag bearer Col. Kefas Agbu who some argue came into the race in a circumstances devoid of any due process and again coming from the same geopolitical zone with the incumbent governor Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku (alias DDI).

They cite the court Litigations instituted by Professor Jerome Nyame who pointed out anomalies in the emergence of Kefas Agbu.

According to some analyst, Col. Agbu is more of a liability to the party than an asset because, such decision to field him is seen as a political suicide by the PDP, because it is seen as a marginalization and deliberate calculation to show impunity and abuse of political psyche of the Taraba Central and Taraba North people .How this plays out to favor PDP is a question only time can provide answers for.

A Frontline Politician Hon. Phillip Johnson  opined that ” it will be difficult to tell what will happen politically in Taraba State, I can’t permutated now because all major political parties are enmeshed in political mess and some are even currently in court”

Looking at the current trend, electorates may likely consider their choice of preferred candidates on the basis of credibility of the candidates rather than political party in 2023. One thing is clear however that Taraba State electorates are desirous of change outside the norm. The turning and widening gap of poverty in the state has pushed the electorates to not only think of alternative leadership but have also resolved to reject the  quasi-religious bias pattern of voting which has remained the PDP trend in clinching to  governance of Taraba State since 2007.

In the journey for the capture of political power to govern Taraba State come 2023   among the gladiators; Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Kefas Agbu, Hon. Danladi Baido Tijjos, Professor Sani Mohammed Yahaya and other mini political parties who many believe fielded themselves awaiting to negotiate with the ruling PDP in the state, it is clear that the ruling Party in Taraba State is locked up in a battle for survival.

If all this will led to a change in Political party leadership in Taraba State still remain a dicey guess seeing the ongoing internal political party uncertainties playing out in almost every political party participating in the build up to the general elections in 2023, in all, Tarabans must come out the winners of the game 2023 general elections.   .