Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, alias Mama Taraba, has resigned her position, saying that she wishes to contest the 2019 governorship election in Taraba State.
Indications are that she may defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join her political godfather, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In his acceptance letter, President Muammadu Buhari told Madam Alhassan, who unsuccessfully contested the governorship in 2015: “I have today received your letter notifying me of your intention to contest for the governorship of Taraba State in the 2019 election. Let me thank you on behalf of the Federal Executive Council and Nigerians for your services as minister under this administration. I note with passion your past contribution to our great party APC during and after the 2015 elections.
“As you are aware I am totally committed to free and fair elections. Our policy is to support all APC candidates. I wish you well in your ambition to be governor of your state. Rest assured that all security agencies as well as INEC will have my full support to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in 2019.”
News Express reports that Mama Taraba had in early September 2017 announced that she would resign if Atiku decided to contest the 2019 elections. Atiku has since dumped APC and joined the race for the presidential ticket of PDP.
The former minister had said in a BBC interview that ruffled feathers: “Firstly, what I hoped for even when I was working as a civil servant – when I didn’t even join politics – because His Excellency Atiku has been my godfather even before I ventured into politics.
“After I joined politics, he continued being my godfather. You know everybody has a reason for a political relationship with somebody. Secondly, Baba Buhari hasn’t told us that he wants to recontest in 2019.
“I can assure you that if Baba Buhari tells us today that he wants to re-contest, I swear to God I will go to him and tell him that ‘Baba, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to work under you as a minister. But Baba as you know, Atiku is my godfather.’ That’s if Atiku wants to contest, but as we speak, he (Atiku) hasn’t told us he wants to contest.”