Why PDM Will Take Over Taraba State – Dodo: Why PDM Will Take Over Taraba State – Dodo Pembi David-Stephen — Jan 2, 2015 | Leave a comment Barrister Kabiru Dodo, the current national legal adviser of the Peoples Progressive Movement party (PDM) has picked the party’s ticket to run the governorship race for Taraba State. In this interview with Pembi David-Stephen, the former member of Taraba State House of Assembly speaks on his ambition to be the next governor of the State. You are said to have picked the governorship ticket of Taraba State on the platform of the Progressive Peoples Movement party (PDM). This may come as a surprise to many watchers of the politics of your state; what would you say informed your decision? I have decided to present myself to the people of Taraba to run for governorship under the platform of the PDM because I think I possess the requisite requirements to give qualitative, effective and effectual governance in the state given my background. You may wish to note that I started from the scratch. What I mean by staring from the scratch is that although I have my bachelor’s degree in law I worked in the party secretariat way back in 2002 when I served as director planning and research under the defunct ANPP. I was given an appointment on the salary of N19, 000 monthly. In that office I have learned about the politics of the state as well as that of the nation. This is because that office is saddled with the responsibility of researching on how to win elections, how to get people to come into your party and how to get candidates to contest elections. Also it teaches you how to go about intelligence which is required in every aspect of life. Secondly I was elected as the State Legal Adviser of the same party which also gave me the opportunity to know the legal dimensions of our day to day politics in the country and Taraba in particular. I also represented the party in court; in 2004 when there were local government elections I was the one that handled ANPP petitions filed for or against the party in the tribunal. I defended about 26 cases and that has given me an ample opportunity to know who politicians are and how they behave during voting and during trial. I was also elected to represent Jalingo 2 constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly in 2007. As a member I served in various committees that exposed my knowledge and experience at state, national and international levels. Among the committees I served on while in the state Assembly is that of Public Accounts as well as chairman of ad-hoc committee on federal agencies in the state. That has broadened my base and made me to come closer to people and know the federal agencies in the state and Abuja. I was also appointed to serve as special adviser to Governor Danbaba Suntai on special duties which exposed me to know how the executive branch conducts its business. Currently, I am the national legal adviser of the PDM, a position I consider not only as added advantage but an advantage that would enable me serve the people of Taraba better if given the mandate to serve as their governor. How would you reconcile your ambition with the agitation for power shift to southern Taraba State especially having worked with Governor Suntai who was said to be disposed to that arrangement in 2015? That arrangement doesn’t belong to me for now because I am not in PDP and I don’t think I should be part of PDP. Therefore, that arrangement is totally that of PDP and it is left for them to sort it out. I understand and appreciate the fact that zoning is enshrined in the various political parties’ constitutions and the need to respect it is very good . But where you want to resort to zoning you also must accept practice and conventions. What I mean by this is that it is the usual practice or policy of the PDP to adhere to continuity and if this is actually what they are supposed to do I think the zoning issue shouldn’t have come up because the person that was acting or is still acting is supposed to continue. However, I cannot do their bidding because I am neither their solicitor nor their advocate. As far as I am concerned, Taraba State is Taraba; whether it is southern, northern or central Taraba. But I believe there are competent people in all the zones to manage the state. You were also very close to Senator Aisha Alhassan, the APC governorship flag bearer who was at some point a member of the PDP; how would you reconcile your ambition with hers? It is quite true that I am close to her even as at today; she is my sister. But you have made the point clear. She has left the PDP for APC nad as a loyal member of the party I must ensure that my party is equally competing The essence of registering a political party is not only to garner supporters and leave it like that but most importantly to contest elections. Therefore there is no even a dispute that calls for reconciliation because the point is clear; she is in APC while I am in PDM and we still relate like a brother and a sister. If it the will of God that she becomes the governor of Taraba she will and if it is the wish of God that I become the next governor I will. I don’t think my contest with her will in any way affect our relationship. What is your relationship with the current acting governor of the State and what is his disposition to your aspiration to succeed him? The acting governor of Taraba State is an associate, a brother and also a friend and that relationship is intact. The fact that I am in PDM and he is in PDP does not affect our personal relationship even though we have parted ways in terms of party affiliation. In fact, it was his project to bring me to PDP because several attempts were made by the governor then to see me in the fold of the PDP but I refused. So I can safely tell you that we still enjoy a cordial relationship and as a true and genuine democrat, I will harbor no grudge with him if he decides to support his party because he must be loyal to his party just as I am loyal to mine. I have informed him about my decision to run for the office of governor of Taraba under the platform of the PDM. Apart from Senator Aisha of the APC, You are going to be contending with the candidature of Darius Ishaku who has the backing of General TY Danjuma and by extension is perceived to have the presidency’s blessing. What gives you the conviction that you would coast to victory? My first confidence is God because power comes from Him. The second confidence is people . I did not on my own come out to contest this election; it was as a result of consultations from people whom I did not know at the first instance having known my background and pedigree. Therefore, whether the presidency or any other person supports any candidature, is immaterial to me. What is material is what you have. If the people of Taraba say we are ready to surrender our sovereignty because the presidency or other people are with this man then fine and good! But I think gone are the days when people are intimidated about the involvement of other people to support certain candidates. If General TY Danjuma decides to support anybody in PDP it is his right because first of all, he is a Nigerian and hails from Taraba State. He has the constitutional right to back any candidate of his choice just like the electorate too have their right to elect their choice. So, it is a matter of either succumbing to the pressure of the presidency or some individuals or doing the right thing. The PDM is relatively new in Taraba State; do you think it has the necessary structures to sail you to victory? Let me quickly clear one misunderstanding; the PDM as a political party may be new but the PDM as an association that works assiduously to ensure that democratic norms and structures are enshrined in this country is not new in Taraba State or in Niheria. I can safely tell you without fear of contradiction that once you are worth your salt and know who you are in PDP then you know what PDM stands for. We stand by this and challenge them if they say no. The structures that PDP has in Taraba State today are ninety percent belonging to PDM. Since the days of the SPD it is the same structures. PDM is just like a religion; no matter the party you belong, we meet. As far as I am concerned, structures are already on ground; we have got all the structures needed by the electoral act for the party to survive. But you cannot say PDM is a new party. There are so many prominent members of PDP who are members of PDM. When the chips are down they will vote for PDM because it is like a family affair. What would you be doing differently if elected as the next governor of Taraba State? My primary aim is to ensure that we provide good and qualitative governance. To institutionalize democratic norms and customs the way they are practiced elsewhere in the world. We will ensure that our people are provided the needed dividends of democracy. Basically we are going to look into areas of social policy which includes bettering the lives of the people in terms of giving them a sense of belonging. We are not interested in having so many ministries because we believe that government business should be streamlined so that the private sector can also come in. Our main priority would therefore is to provide good governance with social justice as our cardinal principle. « Previous Article Worst Nigerian Hit Songs Of 2014 Next Article » Towards Resuscitating The Moribund AT&P Company In Sapele Original link Read More goo.gl/MVqwKe (y) ✍comment ☏share
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 01:17:07 +0000
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