INEC set to conduct election for Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba as six jostle for candidateship in PDP

By Yusuf Salihu Sansani, Jalingo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 3, 2024 for the bye election for Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency in Taraba State following the demise of the elected member Isma’ila Yushau Maihanci even before he was sworn-in.
So far, six aspirants have already purchased the intend and nomination forms for the primary election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Those aspiring for the seat are Bello Yero, Sadiq Abbas Tafida, Leah Solomon, Umar Abdullahi Baba, Ibrahim Adamu Imam and Hassan Bappa.

Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Taraba State, Andeterang Eranma’e confirmed the purchased of the intend and nomination forms by the aspirants but did not however day how much was the cost of the forms because they are being sold at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

In his view, a political analyst, Yahuza M. Wukari said, Bello Yero a retired Permanent Secretary of the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has the financial muscle, but he is not in the good books of highly placed individuals in the state and some elements of the electorates especially Local Government workers and Primary School teachers.

He noted that Sadiq Abbas Tafida a heir to the Muri Emirate Council stool, young and charismatic, born with a silver spoon but is new in the political landscape of Taraba State and has to struggle to get through the PDP stakeholders while Leah Solomon the only woman among the aspirants is a strong politician but does not have the wherewithal to muscle and bulldoze her way through the PDP.

Wukari observed that Umar Abdullahi Baba a trained accountant with over three decades of experience in managing finances at the grassroot is a potential PDP candidate but he will try to leverage on sympathy for his late cousin Hon. Maihanci who was duly elected for the seat in 2023 but died shortly thereafter but the presence of another aspirant from the family poses a hiccup to his aspiration.

He said Ibrahim Adamu Imam, a very promising politician with experience in both legislative and executive arms of government, a former member of the Taraba State House of Assembly and one-time commissioner.

These has made him popular and some are with a view that his interventions in health, youth and women empowerment and other sectors of life while he was holding political positions will speak for him.

Hassan Bappa, a technocrat, also a former member of the Taraba State House of Assembly, former chairman Jalingo Local Government Council and former Commissioner, may have an upper hand from the government of the day in the state but it is not sure if the electorates will be comfortable with him.

Wukari said”The truth is that it is likely PDP stakeholders will dance to the tune of the highest bidder that stands out, but whoever it might be he has to work hard to break through.”