PDP, Ex-army Generals, Christian Leaders Meet to Produce Next Nasarawa Governor

Top national stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Christians leaders and ex-army generals in the country on Tuesday night had a closed-door meeting in Abuja to discuss the political direction of Nasarawa State.

The meeting which was initiated by a prominent Christian leader in the Northern part of the country in collaboration with some Christian and PDP leaders in the state, took far reaching decisions to make sure the state produces the next governor who will be committed towards tackling the incessant herdsmen killings in the state which have sent many farmers to their early grave.

According to one of the participants, who confided in journalists and would not want his name in print, said the meeting also look at the injustice the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the state has done to the people of the Nasarawa North senatorial district by given the governorship ticket to an Hausa minority in a Christian dominated zone, adding that all hands are on deck to stop such a glaring marginalization.

The source said the meeting resolved to rally support for the state PDP governorship candidate, Hon. David Ombugadu, who is a Christian and is ready to treat all tribes equally, fairly and has also vowed to tackle the herdsmen attacks head on to ensure that people of the southern part of the state enjoy peace.

The source said: “When injustice becomes a role, resistance becomes a

duty! The Eggon ethnic nationality is the majority in the northern zone and Ombugadu is the candidate to go for.

"The meeting also resolved to reverse their early zoning of the state deputy governorship slot to the western zone by consequently moving it to the southern senatorial zone where the Alago ethnic nationality is the majority, and Hon. Ogoshi Onawo, who is currently a member of the House of Representatives and a Muslim, is being considered."

He continued that the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had earlier suggested his loyalist, who came second in the APC governorship primaries and most popular politician in the state, Hon.

Ahmed Wadada, from the western zone to be the running mate of Ombugadu, but the plan seems to have changed when APC picked an unpopular running mate in the state southern zone, Dr. Emmanuel Akaabe.

He added that already, the PDP state caucus met in Abuja to pick a final running mate for Ombugadu between the duo of  Wadada and Onawo.

According to him, "We also resolve to brace up to this challenge because no one  gets to the middle of the river and still complains of cold; the APC has placed the state on sell to Dangote, and we must put together all our efforts and resources to stop them. The time has come for a Christian to govern Nasarawa state.

"If you look at the APC primaries, out of the 24 state assembly seats, the Christians got only five, and out of eight National Assembly seats, Christians got only two.

"But if you go to the PDP primaries, Christians got 12 and Muslims got 12 State assembly seats respectively in a 24 assembly slots. Out of the eight National Assembly seats, they shared it four each. So PDP is more committed to religious political balance in the state and we are all going for them because we are tired.”

He added: "The ex-army generals promised to provide the necessary assistance to make sure that the jinx of a Christian governor is broken in Nasarawa State in 2019 and the peace which the people seek is restored."

But speaking on phone to our correspondent, the state CAN Chairman,

Bishop Joseph Masin, said the association is not a political one and that the people of the state would look at all the issues raised and decide who will govern them through the ballot.