Speaker, 15 Other Lawmakers Join All Progressives Congress In Taraba

Sixteen lawmakers, out of the 24 members of the Taraba State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Rt Hon. Kizito Bonzena, the Speaker of the House who announced his resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during plenary, said he has now chosen to move to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This comes as the PDP in Taraba State said it is not discouraged, jittery or deterred by the decision of Governor Agbu Kefas to defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The state deputy chairman of PDP, Mr. Obidah Bitrus, who allayed the fear of the possible collapse of PDP in Taraba State, assured that the development provides an opportunity for the PDP to be steadfast, stronger and to reorganise itself ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Bitrus, who led 87 delegates to the PDP National Convention in Ibadan, maintained that the party is now more focused than ever to challenge Governor Kefas and APC at the polls.

However, the Speaker cited the unending internal crisis of the PDP that led to the factionalization of the PDP at the national level as reason for the defection.

He said 15 other PDP House of Assembly members have also forwarded their letters to defect from the PDP to the APC.

He mentioned the Deputy Speaker, Hamman Adama Abdullai (Bali 2 Constituency); Majority Leader Jethro Yakubu (Wukari 1 Constituency); Tafarki Eneme (Kurmi Constituency); Akila Nuhu (Lau Constituency); Musa Chul (Gassol 1 Constituency); and Josiah Yaro (Wukari 2 Constituency).

Others are: Tanko Yusuf (Takum 1 Constituency), Veronica Alhassan (Bali 1 Constituency), Anas Shuaibu (Karim Lamido 2 Constituency), Nelson Len (Nguroje Constituency), Umar Adamu (Jalingo 1 Constituency), Joseph Kassong (Yorro Constituency), John Lamba (Takum 2 Constituency), Happy Shonruba (Ardo-Kola Constituency) and Zakari Sanusi (Ibi Constituency).

The speaker further said that the decision is not personal but for the collective interest of the people of the state.

According to him, “Our people should not misinterpret this decision of ours. It is for the interest of the state.

“We now have all 24 members of the House as APC members.

“We also want the people of Taraba to see this as the best decision for the state, and they should continue to support the government.”

Former speaker and member representing Mbamnga Constituency, Peter Diah, welcomed the speaker and other members into the APC.

He said the house had been generous to him and other APC members, when they were in the minority, but he is happy that they have all now keyed into the vision of President Bola Tinubu and have joined them.

He prayed that their movement would be a new dawn for Taraba State and its people, having joined the party at the centre.

With the development, the house has no minority member in the Taraba State House of Assembly.

We’re Not Perturbed By Gov Kefas’ Defection – Taraba Peoples Democratic Party

The deputy state chairman who said there was no cause for fear when the governor  leaves said, “Our major project is to see how the party will oust Governor Agbu Kefas from the TY Danjuma House in Jalingo,” he said.

He assured that PDP will sustain its pedigree beyond 2027, and will continue to remain a threat to other political parties in the state.

According to the PDP deputy chairman, “Even the party is not happy, but we are happy that the development will help us put our house in order.

“We will not feel better at all because, it is not going to be easy for the PDP to lose a person like Governor Kefas to go to APC, and you know, it is inevitable since he has made up his mind, because of reasons best known to him.

“We are not discouraged anyway. Now that the national convention is over, we shall organise ourselves and maybe restructure the party in the state. We have no problem with the defection at all. We are not jittered,” Mr. Bitrus said.

He called on members of the party in the state to stay focused, adding that, “no one should be distracted because of the defection.”

He was confident that with the necessary cooperation and resilience from party faithful, PDP will emerge victorious in 2027.

The state deputy chairman, who commended the success of the convention in Ibadan, said “in spite of the squabbles, and the court case, the election went into success.

“Many people came, the election was very smooth and there was no problem at all. The only challenge we have ahead of us is the internal crisis that, by the grace of God we are trying to rectify, and the new Chairman is focused on amending all the fracas.

He was happy that Taraba state was well represented at the convention, as about 87 persons from the state participated in the convention.

LEADERSHIP learnt that the state PDP chairman, Abubakar Bawa, might be joining the governor in APC.

When contacted on the position of the party, he declined making any comment, but however said, we are going to have a press conference tomorrow (today), to address whatever issue and to state the position of the party.

Bawa said he was not at the PDP convention for personal reasons and would not want to comment on that.

The defection of 16 lawmakers, including the Speaker of the Tarana State House of Assembly further confirmed the heightened speculations over the anticipated mass defection in Taraba state.