Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan, has announced that she has completed arrangements to return to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Alhassan, who was the governorship candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP) in the 2019 general elections, told reporters on Sunday after a stakeholders meeting in Jalingo that a majority of her supporters across all political parties from the 168 wards of Taraba have encouraged her to shift her base to the PDP.
The politician said that the stakeholders meeting which lasted up until midnight on Saturday drew the participation of all those who contested for various political offices on the platform of the UDP, executive members of the party from the ward to state levels and other respected elders.
Alhassan said more than 80 percent of the respondents in an opinion poll conducted by a committee headed by Alhaji Abdulmumini Vaki, a former PDP chairman in the state, that covered the 16 LGAs of the state, suggested that she should shift to the PDP, the country’s main opposition party.
She said based on the outcome of the opinion polls, she had no option than to go by the decision of majority of UDP members.
“I cannot go against the decision of the popular opinions of my supporters. I am glad that the committee did not suggest the APC as an option,” Alhassan said.
According the communiqué which was signed by the state UDP Chairman Alhaji Hassan Chul, the first committee is to visit the national leadership of the UDP in Abuja to express the appreciation of supporters of the former minister for providing her the platform to run for the 2019 governorship election, while the second committee is to arrange a meeting with PDP leadership in Taraba to work out modalities for the former minister’s return to the PDP.
Alhassan contested and won the election for the senatorial seat of Taraba North in 2011 before defecting to the All blacks Congress (APC) on which she contested for governor in 2015. She later joined the UDP in the eve of the 2019 general elections.