Progressive frontliners have called on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to put in place measures aimed at averting the impending defection of Senator Senator David Jimkuta and House of Representatives member Mark Useni to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Led by Mr. Emmanuel Kefas Adams in a statement called on President Bola Tinubu to order the probe on the circumstances surrounding the defeat suffered by the APC in the 2023 poll.
The group also asked the APC national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to probe into clandestine ploys to deceive party members and exploit the APC’s goodwill in Taraba State for the opposition the ruling peoples democratic party (PDP).
According to the group, there is cause for strong suspicion that APC is about to lose two Taraba state National Assembly seats to the Peoples Democratic Party within the next few weeks.
It noted: “We have been inundated with reports alleging unholy alliances between the PDP state government Taraba state and these two National Assembly members who rode into power on the back of APC goodwill; the PDP state governor is believed to be undermining APC towards achieving long-term political goals.
“Specifically, we urge both President Bola Tinubu and APC National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to find out why and how the party lost both the presidential and governorship election votes in their Constituencies.
“We feel very worried by allegations that both Senator David Jimkuta and Honourable Mark Useni of the House Representatives are set to fulfill a rumoured pre-election agreement to defect to the PDP and support Governor Agbu Kefas who garnered support for them during the pre-election court cases.”
Continuing, it claimed: “it is quite unfortunate that APC is now set to lose two NASS members in Taraba State; barring any last minute changes, we may soon lose these two seats to the Peoples Democratic Party in Taraba State before the end of the year.
“Senator Jimkuta and Honourable Mark Useni of the House Representatives are said to be set to fulfill their pre-election agreement to defect to the PDP to support Governor Agbu Kefas, who garnered support for them during the pre-election court cases and the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Honorable Mark Useni and Senator David Jim Kuta.
“ In a twist of events both Senator David Jim Kuta and Honourable Mark Useni who belonged to different factions of the APC in Taraba State during the 2023 elections are said to have held several meetings with Governor Agbu Kefas and over his second term ambition
According to members of the group, there are widespread reports of discreet support for PDP and Governor Kefas which cost the APC in Taraba State very dearly during the 2033 elections and things must therefore, not be left to chance now.
“During the 2023 elections, both legislators supported the PDP Governor who won the governorship elections in their respective wards of Bete and Fete; it is no longer a secret that Governor Kefas is already indulging in fantasies about a 2027 re-election as well as a 2031 Senate seat at the expense of APC.
“Although both legislators won the National Assembly elections in their wards, the APC Governorship and Presidential candidates lost to the PDP and Labour Party there; Takum, their local government was one of the only two local governments that the PDP won!
“In Taraba state, NNPP won in Ibi local government while APC won in Ussa and Donga local government areas.
“Then, in the follow-up to the recently concluded local government elections in Taraba State, both federal legislators are said to have played key roles in selecting PDP candidates and presently, many believe that several of those seeking appointive positions in the PDP/ Agbu Kefas administration in Taraba state do not hesitate about making consultations with these two legislators, whom the APC national leadership in Abuja assume to be completely loyal to APC interests.
“We have reasons to believe that Hon Mark Useni who is holding an APC seat is currently in New York with PDP Governor, Kefas Agbu and the legislator is said to have to distanced himself from Senator Emmanuel Bwacha who is smarting from the loss of the governorship election and inability to secure a cosy appointment from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are not going to keep our eyes open and watch a party like PDP to swallow APC with its progressive and populost cause in Taraba state: also said to be on his way back to the PDP is Honorable Abel Dia, a former Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly whose political godfather, is the current Secretary to the Taraba State Government.
“He is also presently in New York with Hon Mark Useni and Governor Agbu Kefas witorking on an anti-APC agenda which only President Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje can halt before it becomes a major embarrassment to the progressive cause,” they stated.
