The purported zoning arrangement in the Taraba State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to cause disaffection among party members.
While some leaders and stakeholders of the party are calling on the state governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, and the leadership of the party to discard zoning, others are calling for the immediate suspension of those frowning at the zoning policy of the party.
Briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Jalingo, stakeholders in support of zoning called on the governor and the Chairman of the party, Agbu Kefas, to work round the clock to frustrate those trying to sweep the arrangement under the carpet.
Led by Joseph Manga, the group that wants the governor and the leadership of the party to call members frowning at the power shift agreement to order, said, “We uphold the sanctity of equity and fair distribution of power amongst the three senatorial zones in the state.”
Stressing how they all “subscribed to the theory of power rotation since 1999” the zoning arrangement, they said has “indeed solved the issues of marginalization even in the grassroots.”
Urging the leadership of the party in the state not to allow themselves to be used as tools to destroy the zoning arrangement, Tarabans, as opined by them “have accepted this power rotation model.”
Citing former governors Jolly T Nyame, Danbaba D. Suntai, and the incumbent governor whom, according to them, were all products of power shift, they affirmed that “it will be fair and honest that the power rotation be maintained and ensure that it goes to the appropriate quarters come next political dispensation slated for 2023.”
Wondering why members who have used power shift to achieve their political ambitions are the ones now against the system, allowing them to achieve their “selfish ambitions” they believed “will amount to endangering the party and the state at large.”
Passionately pleading with the teeming members of the party to throw their weights in support of zoning “this power shift policy ” they believed will lead to the “sustainability of peace and development in the state and as well further guarantee the winning formula of the party from top to down.”
But in a swift reaction, stakeholders frowning at the party’s zoning arrangement, urged the party to rally around politicians with proven track records and widespread acceptability across all regional cultural and religious divisions.
Led by Yerima Misa Mohammed, the group who threatened to collapsed the purported zoning arrangement, said “our fervent desire is to have politicians who will use their wealth of experience to build on the foundations laid by His Excellency Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku and other previous leaders to create the Taraba of our dreams.”
Describing zoning as “unconstitutional” and “outdated”, the group who affirmed that zoning has “outlived its usefulness” further argued that zoning “is gradually losing traction even at the national level”.
While the party’s stakeholders are busy trading words over power shift, the governor and the leadership of the party, as at the time of filing this report, have remained mute over the ongoing argument that is fast threatening the chances of the party ahead of the forthcoming polls.
