A former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Taraba State, Stephen Othaniel, has attributed the party’s loss in the recently concluded Karim-Lamido 1 State Constituency by-election to a lack of leadership direction and what he described as the poor performance of the current administration.
Answering questions from journalists on Wednesday in Jalingo, he also cited the alleged poor performance of the current administration as a reason for the PDP’s poor showing at the poll.
“Ordinarily, PDP would have won the election without stress because Karim has always been a PDP stronghold. But the people lost trust after the former PDP lawmaker resigned his seat to take up a commissioner position, abandoning the mandate they gave him,” he said.
According to Othaniel, the situation was made worse by what he called the “very poor performance” of Governor Agbu Kefas in his first two years in office.
He claimed that despite receiving high federal allocations and taking on significant debt, the administration has failed to deliver meaningful development in the state.
According to him, “It has never been this bad since the creation of Taraba. With the highest allocation and borrowing, the governor has done practically nothing. The people have spoken, and this is not just about Karim; this is a statewide message ahead of 2027.”
Othaniel, who ran as a state assembly candidate under the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, in the 2023 general elections, applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies for conducting a credible and peaceful bye-election.
“Generally, the election was free, fair, and credible. INEC followed the electoral act, and I’d give them an 85 per cent pass mark. The security personnel were also impressive, proactive and professional. For over 30 years in politics, I have never seen them act this effectively,” he said.
He noted that security operatives arrested individuals attempting to disrupt the process, including a sitting lawmaker allegedly caught attempting to snatch ballot papers.
“Thank God the security agencies responded swiftly. As we speak, those involved are in custody and will face prosecution under the law,” he added.
Othaniel also criticised the governor’s response to the worsening security situation in the state, claiming that his inaction has further alienated the public and contributed to the protest votes seen in the bye-election.
“People are losing confidence. The insecurity is worsening, and the government has shown little interest in addressing it. The election result is the people’s way of expressing their frustration,” he said.