A significant political storm is brewing within the Taraba State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following allegations by a prominent chieftain, David Kente, that the party did not conduct its House of Representatives primaries in the state last Saturday. This assertion, however, has been swiftly dismissed by the state APC leadership, setting the stage for a classic intra-party face-off ahead of the general elections.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Jalingo, Mr. Kente maintained that election materials for the exercise arrived exceptionally late, only to be distributed overnight. He further claimed this contradicted widely circulated video clips on social media purportedly showing voting already underway. According to the aggrieved politician, officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contacted him around 5 a.m. on Sunday, hours after the alleged voting had taken place, to announce the commencement of material distribution at Fastrack Hotel.
“There was no election anywhere in Taraba yesterday,” Mr. Kente declared emphatically. He elaborated, “Materials arrived around 3 p.m. and were shared through the night, yet we were told elections had already taken place in the local government areas and results were written.” This claim of “written results” without proper voting is a recurrent allegation in Nigerian electoral processes and often sparks serious contention.
Beyond the House of Reps primaries, Mr. Kente, who is also an APC governorship aspirant, firmly denied withdrawing from his own race in favour of any candidate. He clarified that a recent visit to his residence by Governor Agbu Kefas was misinterpreted. Governor Kefas, an incumbent, is seeking re-election under the APC banner in Taraba. “The governor’s visit was not unusual,” Kente stated, adding, “We discussed party issues, including the closure of the secretariat, but there was no agreement for me to withdraw. I have not received money from anyone and cannot be induced.” He further asserted that consultations with his extensive network of supporters reveal strong backing for his continued participation in the contest, expressing confidence that a transparent primary would undoubtedly favour him. “If allowed to contest fairly, I will defeat him hands down,” Kente boasted. He also warned that ongoing internal party disputes, particularly concerning the swearing-in of local government party officials in Ussa, Takum, and Donga councils, could escalate into debilitating litigation, potentially destabilising the APC’s structure in the state.
In a swift rejoinder, the Taraba State APC leadership unequivocally rejected Mr. Kente’s claims. The party’s spokesperson, Aaron Artimas, branded the aspirant’s allegations that the primaries were not held as “false and misleading.” Artimas insisted that the APC had successfully conducted its primary elections across all designated locations in the state as scheduled. He also highlighted what he termed Mr. Kente’s consistent pattern of disputing primary outcomes whenever they do not align with his expectations.
“For the past 20 years, Kente has always complained whenever primaries are conducted. I honestly do not know what he wants to achieve,” Artimas remarked, questioning the credibility of Kente’s account. The spokesperson further challenged Kente’s assertion of non-conduct, noting that the aspirant hails from Wukari but was physically in Jalingo at the time the primaries were meant to be held in the respective constituencies. “He is from Wukari and was in Jalingo. How would he know that primaries were not conducted? What was he doing in Jalingo when he was supposed to be in Wukari, where the primary took place?” Artimas queried. He reiterated that the allegations were unfounded, stressing that the electoral exercise was concluded as planned, with results from several constituencies already undergoing collation. “I can tell you authoritatively that primaries were conducted across the state, and results have started coming in,” he affirmed.
Efforts to secure an official reaction from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the matter proved unsuccessful. Repeated calls to the commission’s spokesperson in Taraba State, Martins Bandawa, did not connect at the time of filing this report, leaving a crucial neutral perspective unheard amidst the unfolding political drama.
This contentious situation in Taraba mirrors a broader trend, as the APC conducts its primaries nationwide ahead of the forthcoming general elections. The process has been fraught with similar disputes and threats of legal action from aggrieved aspirants in various other states, highlighting the often-turbulent nature of party politics and internal democracy in Nigeria.
Originally sourced from Premium Times. This article has been rewritten for our readers.
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