Turaki-led PDP selected former labor minister as governor candidate in Taraba

Former Minister of Labor and Productivity, Senator Joel Ikenya, has been declared winner of the gubernatorial primaries held by the Taminu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction in Taraba State.

Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Felix Hyat, who announced the election results in Jalingo on Saturday, said Ikenya scored 34,173, to defeat Mr Dinshiya Usman, who polled 4,853 votes in the exercise.

Hyat, who described the exercise as free and fair, commended the PDP working committee in the state for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

Ikenya, in his acceptance speech, promised to revive Taraba to its former glory if elected governor in 2027.

“I will change Taraba; I will change the state from a salary base to an industrial state.

“My desire is also to revive the country’s infrastructure and attract more investors to improve the economy,” he said.

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However, the gubernatorial candidate denied allegations that there was a PDP faction in Taraba.

“There is no PDP faction in Taraba, I don’t know where others come from.

“The PDP in Taraba is one, and we do not have any faction in the state. We are working as one united family to reclaim our mandate from Governor Agbu Kefas of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he added.

A PDP faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, recently declared Senator Emmanuel Bwacha as its governorship candidate in Taraba.