Taraba NDC Governorship Aspirant Quits Party

Former Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship aspirant in Taraba State, Philip Johnson, has resigned from the party, alleging that its leadership manipulated the governorship primary election and denied him a legitimate victory.

According to a resignation letter addressed to the Taraba State Chairman of the party, Johnson maintained that he emerged victorious after the primary election was peacefully conducted across the state’s 16 local government areas. He claimed that results collated from the exercise clearly reflected his win before the process took an unexpected turn.

According to Ireporter Online, Johnson stated that the exercise remained transparent until the official declaration stage, when members of the congress panel reportedly informed contestants that the final results would instead be announced in Abuja on the directive of the party’s National Secretariat.

The former governorship hopeful alleged that the outcome was subsequently altered in favour of another aspirant, whom he insisted he had defeated during the primary election. He accused the party leadership of abandoning the ideals of fairness, justice and internal democracy, principles it had consistently projected to the public.

Expressing disappointment over the development, Johnson argued that a political platform that presented itself as a champion of progressive change and democratic values had embraced the very practices it was expected to oppose, prompting his decision to sever ties with the party.