By Ben Adaji, Jalingo
The Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State, Obidah Bitrus, has said the party in the state remains united despite the ongoing leadership crisis affecting the party at the national level.
Bitrus made the remark while speaking with journalists in Jalingo on Sunday, noting that although disagreements exist within the party nationally, they have not created divisions among PDP members in Taraba State.
According to him, the crisis at the national level stemmed from disputes surrounding the conduct of the party’s national convention held in November last year, which was later challenged in court by an aggrieved faction.
He explained that the situation intensified after the Court of Appeal nullified the election that produced the party’s leadership during the convention.
Despite the development, Bitrus said efforts are underway to resolve the crisis, adding that the party’s Board of Trustees has held several meetings aimed at finding a lasting solution.
He disclosed that a reconciliation committee has already been set up to engage various factions within the party and work towards resolving their differences, possibly through an out-of-court settlement.
“From all indications, there may be a harmonised caretaker committee that will serve for about 21 days before a mini national convention is conducted to produce a legally recognised leadership,” he said.
The acting chairman also dismissed concerns that the defection of some PDP members in Taraba State to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would weaken the party in the state.
He maintained that the PDP still enjoys strong support across the state’s local government areas, describing Taraba as a traditional stronghold of the party.
Bitrus added that the party continues to attract interest from residents through its ongoing membership registration exercise.
According to him, some politicians who defected to the APC have already begun exploring the possibility of returning to the PDP after realising that the ruling party was overcrowded.
The PDP acting chairman also dismissed reports of a parallel party congress allegedly conducted in the state.
He said he was unaware of such an exercise and questioned its legitimacy, stressing that the current PDP leadership in Taraba State was duly elected and recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“We do not have factions in Taraba State, and there is no need for another congress when there is already a legally elected leadership,” he said.
Bitrus further dismissed allegations that the APC was using opposition figures to destabilise the PDP in the state, stating that there was no clear evidence to support such claims.
He expressed confidence that the PDP would remain a dominant political force in Taraba State ahead of future elections.
