Chuwang Emmanuel
As Nigerians await the formation of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, politicians in Taraba south and central are in a spirited battle to get the ministerial slot.
Some party fateful are of the opinion that the state gubernatorial flagbearer of the All Progressives Party (APC) in the last election, Emmanuel Bwacha, who hails from the southern part of the state deserves the ministerial slot for his huge investment in the party and the role he played in the last election.
Although Tinubu did not win in Taraba, Bwacha’s candidacy and support culminated in APC winning one senatorial seat, (Taraba South), two House of Representatives seats, (Ussa/ Takum/Donga and Wukari/Ibi), and Donga Ussa state constituencies in his zone. As such it should be a payback time for him.
However, there have been high-level intrigues and blackmailing with the aim of outwitting one another to curry favour from the Presidency. This must have led to some faceless group that claimed to be APC stalwarts in the state sponsoring press briefings, calling on the Presidency not to consider Bwacha for a ministerial position.
One of their allegations was that Bwacha was new to the party in the state. As such he doesn’t deserve the position claiming that there are other more qualified and loyal party members that have served the party for over a decade.
Before joining the APC in early 2022 Bwacha was the deputy minority leader of the Senate.
Also, supporters of APC in the central zone think otherwise, for them, they deserve the position because since the advent of democracy in 1999 it is only the zone that has not enjoyed a ministerial position.
Presently, ministerial considerations are revolving around principal APC chieftains in the state. Top on the list is Bwacha and the state’s self-appointed APC leader David Kente the duo is from the southern zone, and from the central zone is Hassan Ardo, former Nigeria Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.
Bwacha, a former senator enjoys considerable leverage by virtue of his personal relationship with APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, and the first lady Remi Tinubu. Besides, Bwacha played an immense role in making the party stronger in the state since his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). So, he may be rewarded for his efforts.
Also, as a former lawmaker with 4 years of experience in the lower chamber and 12 years of experience in the upper chamber, he could be considered.
On the other hand, it is alleged that the party in Abuja has advised the President to consider all APC governorship candidates that lost in their various states in the last elections.
Kente has his personal political challenges with regard to the role he played during the governorship elections. Kente who took Bwacha up to the supreme court challenging his emergence as the party flagbearer allegedly worked against the party’s victory in the general election. Although there is insinuation that he has bonded well with some influential power players in the party, who may influence his emergence as a minister.
The chances of Ardo being appointed minister are slim. But if that happens, it would be a reward for loyalty to APC.
It is gathered that those pushing for Ardo are very close to the Presidency. He is a strong party man and in good books of the party.
Ardo is considered a loyal party man and has been a strong supporter of the party, even in the days of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2009 and later the All-Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
Why Southern Taraba Deserves Ministerial Slot-Stakeholders
Last month stakeholders of the APC from Taraba South wrote an open letter to Mr. Tinubu, asking him to consider the zone for ministerial and other top federal appointments.
In the letter, signed by Jamilu Bawa, Chairman of Taraba APC Youth Forum the stakeholders said Southern Taraba deserved such consideration as it had worked assiduously for APC’s victory in the state.
” It is in the record that Southern Taraba APC produced the most elected officeholders.
” Southern Taraba has become the APC zone, where a senator was produced and all the two House of Representatives members.
” The only APC senator in Taraba was produced from the southern zone and it is imperative to state here that, in the recently concluded presidential elections, the southern zone of Taraba performed optimally for the party with 81, 568 in the zone out of the 135,165 votes garnered in the state for the presidential elections.”
” As a committed progressive, cum determined democrat and one who possesses the spirit of rewarding hard work, this letter cannot wait for another time,” the letter read.
” We are appealing to Mr. President to beam your touch light to the zone in search of competent men of honour for ministerial appointment in Taraba State,” the Taraba South APC stakeholders, concluded in the letter.
Also, just last week in Jalingo, a group of APC youths led by Theophilus Nyivu, appealed to the President to consider Bwacha for minister.
They claimed that Bwacha would not only attract federal presence to Taraba but would be an asset to Tinubu’s government.
“Senator Emmanuel Bwacha is the best-performing senator in the history of Taraba and we believe that appointing him as one of Tinubu’s ministers would not only attract federal presence to the state but would also serve as a strong pillar for the success of the government.
Groups Says Denying Central Taraba Minister Will Be An Act Of Injustice.
A political group, Taraba Central Zone Youths Coalition For Peace, Justice and Social Development made a case for the President to pick his minister this time from the central part of the state, their argument is that nobody from that section has ever enjoyed the position since the advent of democracy in 1999.
Bakare Dorofi, leader of the group in a press statement issued to journalists in Jalingo, urged Tinubu to consider the zone for a ministerial slot to break the record that is being tagged as injustice in the zone.
The group also claimed that the central zone of the state was the first to identify with the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Taraba and has remained an APC zone since 2015.
According to the group, out of the 10 ministers appointed from Taraba by successive presidents, 6 were from the southern zone while 4 are from the northern part of the state.
“Available records show that the Northern Senatorial Zone produced Dr. Mohammed Shatta, Aisha Jummai, Sale Mamman, and Muazu Jaji while the Southern Senatorial Zone has Theophilus Danjuma, Obadiah Ando, Salomi Jankada, Alhassan Zaku, Idris Waziri, Darius Ishaku, and Joel Ikenya.
The chairman of Taraba Advocacy for Justice, Equity and Good Governance (TAJEGG), Mahmoud Lamu also threw his weight behind the central zone agitation.
He noted that the zone has consistently garnered large chunks of votes for the party since 2015 but is sadly neglected when it comes to considerations for Federal appointments.
“This issue has become even more worrisome in recent times as the zone is known to be the political heartbeat of our great party (APC) in the state.
“This is visibly demonstrated by constantly producing large votes for the party. We have been quiet over this injustice because we lacked a convenient platform and opportunity to express our long-standing sentiments and grievances to relevant authorities and the general public as well.
“It may please you to know, gentlemen of the Press, that the pioneer Chairman of APC in Taraba State Hassan Ardo is from this zone. He came from CPC and was among those that formed the APC in the state and worked hard to make the party the beautiful bride for all.
“We also wish to let you know that the zone has produced astute and adequate political manpower qualified and capable to serve the nation in every capacity.
Federal Appointments Is At President’s Discretion
Speaking to UNIVERSALREPORTERS Abel Diah, a former Speaker of the state Assembly and member representing the Mbanga constituency said in as much as every zone as the right to lobby for appointments the decision to make federal appointments remains the sole prerogative of the President.
“Ministerial appointments is not something that is rotational it is at the discretion of Mr. President.”
