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Crisis Rocks Maihanchi’s Family Over JYZ Ticket

Fresh crisis is rocking the very large Maihanchi Family over moves  by the family  to retain the Jalingo Yorro Zing Federal Constituency ticket following the death of Hon Ismaila Maihanchi who was elected under the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

 

Meanwhile, the PDP in accordance with the Electoral Act has informed the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC of the death of Hon Ismaila Maihanchi who recently won a federal seat under its party.


PDP in a letter to INEC urged the commission to immediately commence the process for a fresh election.

 

However the late Maihanchi family had met on producing a candidate for the by-election; they want another Maihanchi on the ballot.

 

Some sources said Governor Darius Ishaku had assured the Maihanchi's  family of his support to retain the Reps ticket but they should present an individual capable of winning election at the poll.


"When we visited the Governor to thank him for his support, we told the Governor of our intention as a family to be given the privilege of producing the PDP candidate for the election, he gave us his support and asked us to look at individuals who can win election at the general poll."

 

The family at a meeting shortlisted Umar Abdullahi Baba; Jabiru Lukuman Maihanchi and Ibrahim Ismaila Maihanchi as consideration for the office. 

 

Sources close to the family said the Family is worried about nominating a candidate that would win the general election if given the PDP ticket so as not to jeopardize the party's chances of retaining the seat..

 

"Late Ismaila Maihanchi won the election with support of the electorates across all political parties and groups, the family is seriously engulfed in an internal bricking with various members lobbying to get its nominations to Governor Ishaku.

 

Umar Abdullahi Baba who is the Head of Account at Jalingo Local Government is believed to be a core civil servant with little political exposure, a source told Taraba Truth and Fact newspapers. 


"Umar Baba is a civil servant and he's not politically grounded even in Jalingo. Some positions of law might work against him because he must have resigned 30 days before nomination. Some family members prefer him to maintain his current office at the local government so as the family does not waste certainty for uncertainty."

 

"Jabiru Lukuman Maihanchi is the closest to late Ismaila Maihanchi while he was alive  and he manages his business interests for him, most of late Ismaila Maihanchi associates will support Jabiru because they know him to be loyal and trustworthy to late Ismaila during his lifetime, but he's a political novice who cannot pull the support to winning the election.

 

"Ibrahim Ismaila Maihanchi is a brother to late Maihanchi who works with the Taraba State University but he hardly shows interest in politics," a political analyst told this newspaper 

 

Another source  however said  Jalingo based human right lawyer and politician Barr Bilyaminu Lukman Maihanchi was also considered but for political party affiliation his name didn't scale through. 

 

"Barr Bilyaminu Maihanchi was also been considered but he is a known political figure outside the PDP, Bilyaminu was once a frontline member of the APC in Taraba State before leaving the party before the last election, Barr Bilyaminu is believed to be most vast politically in the family and had a good electoral outing  when he contested Chairman of Jalingo Local Government under the Action Congress of Nigeria  ACN in 2012.


 He came second in a very tight race with Hon Hassan Bappa of the PDP and Ahmadu Zakaria of the CPC. Barr Bilyaminu is also believed to enjoy support from various political groups in Taraba North, particularly among the youths.

 

The late Maihanchi political family are however on their part clamoring that the PDP should retain its ticket with the Maihanchi political movement which many of them said it's bigger than the Maihanchi family.

 

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