By Nahum Sule, Jalingo
The build-up to the forthcoming local government elections in Taraba State has taken a dramatic turn, following the outright rejection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates list by the Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC).
The list, which contained the names of chairmanship and councillorship candidates across the 16 local government areas, was formally submitted by the APC State Secretary. However, in what the party described as a deliberate plot to edge them out of the race, the TSIEC Chairman reportedly refused to accept the submission.
Reacting to the development, the APC State Chairman Barr. El-Sudi, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, condemned the action, accusing the electoral body of bias and collusion with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We will take legal action to stop the election if our candidates are not acknowledged. PDP are afraid to go into a contest with APC, and that is why they are hiding behind this refusal. I respect the TSIEC Chairman as a respected civil servant, but his involvement in this matter clearly shows his personal interest,” the APC Chairman declared
The APC leader further alleged that the refusal of TSIEC to receive the party’s list was a calculated attempt to weaken opposition voices and pave the way for a one-sided contest in favour of the PDP.
Efforts to obtain the commission’s side of the story were unsuccessful, as multiple calls placed to the TSIEC Chairman’s phone were not answered.
Meanwhile, the crisis has triggered discontent within the APC itself. Some aggrieved party members have openly demanded that the tenure of local government chairmen be reviewed from the current two years to three years, arguing that a shorter tenure undermines effective governance at the grassroots
The unfolding events have thrown the state’s political space into uncertainty, with fears that the elections could be marred by litigations, protests, and possible boycotts if the grievances are not addressed.
