Mama Taraba quits APC for United Democratic Party so she can stand as governorship candidate

WOMEN affairs minister Hadjia Aisha Alhassan has resigned her membership of the federal executive council and quit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the party's recent decision to drop her as the Taraba State governorship candidate.

Popularly known as Mama Taraba, Hadjia Alhassan, 59, was the APC's Taraba State governorship candidate in the 2015 elections and had been hoping to run again next February. However, last week, the party's screening committee decided to drop her, questioning her loyalty, after she had said that she would back former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's presidential bid.

Alhaji Abubakar has since left the APC and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he is seeking its presidential ticket. Next weekend, the PDP will hold its presidential primaries in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and if the former vice president wins, he will face President Muhammadu Buhari in a head-on contest next February.

After resigning her appointment and quitting the APC, Hadjia Alhassan announced that she had joined the United Democratic Party (UDP), which is expected to adopt her as its governorship candidate. Already, Hadjia Alhassan has provided the party with an office in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

In her resignation letter Hadjia Alhassan said: “I write with a lot of respect to inform Mr President of my decision to resign my appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). You may wish to recall that I joined the APC in 2014 along with other members of the then new PDP, contested the 2015 governorship election as the flag bearer of the APC and to the glory of God.

 “Mr President may also wish to recall that I wrote to notify you of my intention to again contest for governor of my state in forthcoming 2019 election under the umbrella of APC and you again graciously blessed my intention and wished me well. I purchased the APC nomination forms and went for the party’s screening on Thursday, the 20th of September 2018 along with 10 other contestants for the governorship of my state, Taraba, so I, with your permission, proceeded to Taraba on the 23rd of September 2018, to prepare for the presidential and governorship primaries then scheduled for the 25th and 29th of September 2018 respectively.”

She protested her disqualification to contest the 2019 governorship by the APC national working committee, saying no reason was given for her disqualification. Restating that she was a very committed and loyal party member and was at no time queried or admonished for any wrongdoing or unconstitutional behaviour, Hadjia Alhassan added that a grave injustice had been done to her with her disqualification.

In her letter, Hadjia Alhassan thanked the president for the honour, rare privilege and lifetime opportunity of allowing her to serve as a minister. She also I thanked vice president Yemi Osinbajo from whom she said has also learnt a lot, other members of the Federal Executive Council and cabinet office staff for their fellowship and support.