*Says decampees can’t hijack party structures
By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Alhasan, has lamented the abandoning of her people in Taraba State by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Hajia Alhasan expressed this when she led other members of APC from Taraba State on a visit to the leadership of the party at the national secretariat on Thursday in Abuja, where she told the leaders that apart from her appointment and Ambassadorial which are statutory and constitutional, no any other meaningful appointment from the state.
According to her, the APC members from Taraba State are very worried “because firstly, if the government back home was that of the APC, I may not have been here in this capacity as a Minister.
“I have come as a party member and a leader, together with my brothers from Taraba state to air out our problems.
“The government in the state is controlled by the PDP and we expected that, you our parents and this government especially since you knew that we were muscled out, we should have been helped because we did our best.
“No opposition party performed as good as we did since 1999. but unfortunately, apart from my appointment which is statutory and constitutional, then that of the ambassadorial, we still do not have any meaningful appointment.”
Madam Alhasan, who is popularly called ‘Mama Taraba’, warned the party leaders that if nothing is done to address the plight of her people, “else we will not know our faith when the next election comes.”
She continued: “Even in the federal government projects, they do not involve us. it was only yesterday that I met the state party leader and was told that there is a federal government project going on and he complained that they are not involved. It is not that they don’t have qualified persons.
“Even the struggle to live right, according to the dictates of religion is because of the expectation of Heaven which is the reward. Taraba state APC should be remembered. This is our plea. If projects are sent to the state which is controlled by the PDP, our people will be left hanging.
“They are seeing that this is a federal government thing and we worked for it but they are not gaining anything.”
About hijacking the party structure, the Minister said ” there has been rumours that some people want to come and take over the party structure. Personally, I am not afraid because I told them that the leadership of the party that we have at the center does not give into rumours.
“Secondly, I have confidence in myself as a party member, others should have confidence in themselves too. Some people said that they are coming and the party leadership at the national level has promised them support. But leadership of the party is not dictated at the national but obtained at the state level.
“I have at some point even addressed the crowed in Taraba and I told them that the current Governor is even welcomed to join the party but if he comes, he will be an APC member like us.”
Responding, the party’s deputy national chairman (North) Senator Lawal Shuibu, said that all complains and put forward by the minister will be addressed while appropriate responses will be given after due consultations.
