Former minister of women affairs and social development, Aisha Alhassan, has emerged the governorship candidate of United Democratic Party (UDP) after the party’s primary election in Taraba.
Godwin Okoye, the National chairman of the party supervised the primary election which was conducted on Wednesday.
Alhassan got the unanimous endorsement of all the 224 delegates from the 16 local government areas of the state at Shield Hotel, Jalingo, where the primaries.
AbdulRazak Gidado had earlier announced his withdrawal from the race after Alhassan threw her hat in the ring.
Ballots were, however, cast by each of the 224 delegates before the emergence of the former minister as UDP candidate.t
The national chairman of the party commended the unity of purpose of both the old and new members of the party which, according to him, has improved the chances of the party to capture power in Taraba in 2019.
Okoye said Alhassan’s wealth of experience and her large followers who joined the UDP in the last one week was the beginning of good things for the party nationwide.
He assured them of equal opportunities and the support and cooperation of the UDP National Secretariat.
Alhassan thanked the UDP and the followers for believing in her.
She said: “I assure you that I will work round the clock to ensure that our enemies are put to shame by winning the governorship election in Taraba in 2019.”
The former minister urged Taraba people to rally round the UDP “because it is a party with great potential for the development of the state”.
Recall that Alhassan was not cleared to participate in the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the grounds of disloyalty to the party. This led to her joining UDP after resigning her position in President Buhari’s cabinet.
(The Cable)
