2023: Taraba residents decry consensus, say its another form of imposition

In a bid for the 2023 general election, residents of Taraba State on Monday decried the consensus method of selecting candidates to fly parties’ flags, as being witnessed so far in many states as another form of imposing uncredible candidates on the people.

This according to the residents, was a threat to the desired good governance as it would worsen the trends of corruption and accrued more poverty on the people.

Party members from both PDP and APC who spoke to Nigerian Tribune in Jalingo, decried the current practice of the idea as witness in other states like Benue, as purely imposition of candidates that usually lead to bad governance, and appealed to Party leaders in Taraba not to key into the practice.

Mr. Jonathan Tsokwa, a resident of Wukari, Mrs. Grace Tang, a resident of Sadauna and Kabiru Zubairu a resident of Jalingo, both expressed fear that the practice would be misuse on the personal interest grounds to bring on board the people that would not be for interest of the masses but for those that planted them in the position.

“The practice of consensus ordinarily is a good idea, it reduces political tension and enmity against members, but the practice as being done in other states is another form of imposition.

“We don’t want the practice here in Taraba, if a political party impose a candidate on us in the name of consensus, we would go against the candidate and the person will lose at the general election.

“We want all the political parties to allow a level playing field for aspirants and the masses to select their leaders.

“We are highly against the speculation of an anointed candidate, and a particular candidate giving money to delegates to win their support sofar in PDP. We do not know if this is true, but this would be disastrous for the party if the allegation is true and the practice is allow to play out.

“The latest news in the state is that the governor has with the instructions of some stakeholders in the state, anointed a particular candidate that would be chosen by consensus, and another person who is pushing for the primaries to be conducted is also giving huge amount of money to delegates in Abuja to win their support.

“We learnt that, he has given money to some council chairmen in the southern part of Taraba who believe that power be shifted to either North or central part of the state.

“We are totally against the idea if is true, we want a greater Taraba and we want all political parties to do the right thing for the interest of the state” The residents decried.