The former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Joel Ikenya, has been declared winner of the governorship primaries conducted by the Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba.

Felix Hyat, the chairman of the election committee, who announced the results in Jalingo on Saturday, said Mr Ikenya scored 34,173 to defeat Dinshiya Usman, who polled 4,853.

Hyat, who described the exercise as free, fair and transparent, commended the state working committee of the party for the peaceful conduct.

Mr Ikenya, in his acceptance speech, pledged to revive Taraba to her days of glory if elected governor in 2027.

“I will transform Taraba; I will change the state from salary base, to an industrialised state.

“My desire is to also revive the state infrastructure and attract more investors to boost the economy,” he said.

The governorship candidate, however, denied the allegations of factionalisation within the PDP in Taraba.

“There is no factional PDP in Taraba; I don’t know where the other people are coming from.

“PDP in Taraba is one, and we do not have any faction in the state. We are working as one united family to reclaim our mandate from Gov. Agbu Kefas of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.

The Nyesom Wike-led faction of the party had recently declared Emmanuel Bwacha as its governorship candidate in Taraba. 

(NAN)