THE recent endorsement of the Taraba State PDP governorship candidate, Agbu Kefas, by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), may have triggered a move by the opposition parties to join forces in order to wrestle power from the ruling party.
There are five top governorship contenders in Taraba for the March 11 polls, four of whom are Christians while only one is Muslim. They are Agbu Kefas of the PDP, Emmanuel Bwacha of the APC, Danladi Baido of the SDP, Joel Ikenya of the LP, and Professor Sani Yahaya of the NNPP.
Religion plays a major role in Taraba politics. CAN has always been a player in Taraba politics where it often endorses its favourite candidate. It is not different in this dispensation,
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had in a letter signed by the State Secretary, Bishop Manasseh Silas Rifore, asked Christians to vote for the PDP governorship candidate, Agbu Kefas.
“I have been mandated to instruct all bloc leaders, local government coordinators and the CAN wing to strictly adhere to the following: 1. A single choice from the five governorship candidates must be made so that the Christian votes will not be split. 2. Dire caution must be exercised so that we Christians don’t lose our ancestral land to another faith.
“All Christians in Taraba State are hereby directed to accept, mobilise and massively vote Col. Agbu Kefas (rtd) of the PDP for the governor as her endorsed candidate,” the letter read.
The sudden endorsement has however created ripples in the camp of the oppositions, causing the likes of Bwacha, Baido and Kefas to rally together, with the sole motive of forging an alliance.
The Nation learnt that there is the fear that should the endorsement stand, the Christian votes might split over the four Christian candidates, thereby giving the only Muslim candidate the advantage with a bloc Muslim vote.
Moreso, the Muslim community, in reaction to CAN’s endorsement of Kefas, are bracing to give massive votes for the only Muslim candidate, Sani Yahaya.
“Presently, we are more divided than before and as a responsible person, it is not fair. They have gone out of their schedule. Some of us feel ashamed to call ourselves Tarabans when we go out. We want a home grown politician to take over Taraba; one who will not be remote controlled by anybody. We want to be remote controlled by the people. We want Tarabans to choose whoever they want to choose. We will remain committed to our people,” Ikenya reacted to CAN’s endorsement of Kefas.