Alhassan Picks UDP Nomination Form, Says APC ‘Now the Weakest Party in Taraba’

From Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

Following her resignation as Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan has picked the gubernatorial nomination form of United Democratic Party (UDP) for Taraba State.

Alhassan, who was disqualified from participating in the APC gubernatorial race in the state by the screening committee of the party, said she was moving to the UDP along with all the executives of APC in the state, local government and ward levels in the state as well as other aspirants on the platform of the party.

Addressing journalists at her residence in Jalingo on Saturday, Alhassan, who was the gubernatorial candidate of APC in the 2015 general elections, stated that with her defection to UDP, APC is now the weakest party in the state.

Fondly called Mama Taraba by her supporters across the state, Alhassan also accused the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of being the mastermind of her disqualification.

“I am now a member of UDP and I have purchased nomination form for governorship of the state under the party’s platform.

“Oshomhole has decided to do his worst but he doesn’t give power, it is God that gives power, so let him wait and see what will happen at the end of the day,” she said.

She however advised President Muhammadu Buhari to call Oshomhole to order saying failure to do so would lead to the death of the party.

She maintained that she was unfairly treated by her former party despite being a pioneer member of the party and contributing immensely towards its success. She said she deserved a better treatment.

“My movement to the UDP was a result of my being screened out by the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who decided in his wisdom to say that I was disqualified and not fit to contest for election.

“I was unfairly treated and great injustice was done to me by that action. This is because I am a pioneer member of APC and we conducted the registration of the party because I was in the new PDP when the merger was done.

“I contested election in 2015 in this same APC which i was the gubernatorial flag bearer of the party. I was also screened subsequently as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without any hitches

“To my greatest shock, on Thursday I heard I was not cleared, which I was confident of because when I went for the screening, they only asked for two things, which include my membership card of APC and my PVC which I presented.