By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The immediate past majority leader of the Taraba state House of Assembly, Capt. Douglas Ndatse, on Wednesday, evening engaged in a physical fight with some PDP stakeholders of Donga Local Government Area over the struggle to plant prefer candidates in the state upcoming local government election.
Periscope Nigeria reports that the former majority leader slapped two of his party stakeholders during a meeting in Government House Jalingo, where the party men met to permutate for PDP’s victory ahead of the upcoming local government election in the state.
However, angry Captain Ndatse who earlier declined comment later told our Correspondent that nothing wrong happened between him and his PDP stakeholders.
“Noting wrong happened between me and my PDP stakeholders. We held our meeting in Government House yesterday (Wednesday), and came out, nothing more,” Ndatse answered.
Meanwhile, a victim of the ex-assembly member’s anger, Hon. Garalie Suntai told journalists that, trouble started when all PDP critical stakeholders in the local government including the former speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly and immediate past chief of staff to former governor Darius Ishaku, (Istifanus Gbana), as well as the Commissioner representing Donga local government, resolved to respect the PDP zoning arrangement that has been on ground since 1999, and agreed on consensus candidates to present before the party and to the governor.
According to Suntai, Captain Ndatse however, opposed to the stakeholders decision and started shouting members, insisting on candidates that the political zoning arrangement of PDP in Donga local government did not favour at the moment.
He said the former majority leader’s position was against governor Kefas and PDP strategic plans to ensure victory in the upcoming local government election and was equally opposed by progressive PDP stakeholders of the local government.
Suntai explained that, it was at the point that the former state Assembly majority leader saw no support to his opinion that he started slapping everyone on sight.
“It’s unfortunate that Captain Ndatse who is a product of PDP zoning arrangement in Donga local government has chosen to oppose the idea that has kept PDP in Donga under one umbrella.
“Why he is fighting us publicly is because, 99 per cent of us have agreed to consider the normal zoning arrangement that PDP has been using in the local government which has kept the people in peace politically. He ( Capt. Ndatse), is opposing the decision that can best be describe as unanimous, insisting on ideas that would not only consume PDP in the local but is also capable of bring disunity among ethnic in the area. He was insisting on a position that is not healthy for PDP and and we said no to it.
“Our stands for the right thing to be done for the best interest of PDP and the continue unity amongst ethnic in Donga local is the reason you all saw him (Capt. Douglas Ndatse Yahaya), publicly slapping both young and old men on his sight,” Suntai narrated.
This is rubbish and not a balanced report