A member of the Federal, Executive Council (FEC) has resigned from the President Muhammadu Buhari cabinet and the president has accepted the resignation. The minister who once made controversial news over her visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar after his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may not have resigned to dump APC.
National Daily gathered that Senator Aisha Alhassan, Mama Taraba, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, resigned from the federal cabinet to contest the 2019 governorship election in Taraba State.
National Daily further gathered that President Buhari accepting the resignation, remarked: “I have today received your letter notifying me of your intention to contest for the governorship of Taraba State in the 2019 election. Let me thank you on behalf of the Federal Executive Council and Nigerians for your services as minister under this administration. I note with passion your past contribution to our great party, APC, during and after the 2015 elections.
“As you are aware, I am totally committed to free and fair elections. Our policy is to support all APC candidates. I wish you well in your ambition to be governor of your state. Rest assured that all security agencies as well as INEC will have my full support to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in 2019.”
Alhassan maintained that she will contest the 2019 governorship election in Taraba State on the platform of APC. Her relationship with her godfather who she pledged she would respect at all time, will not affect her affiliation with the ruling APC, essentially, since the PDP ticket is not available for new entrants into the race as the incumbent governor would be going for second tenure.
The APC structure in Taraba State fell under firm control of Alhassan in the party congresses conducted from the wards to local government and state levels for new leaders of the party.
Alhassan in the 2015 governorship election lost to incumbent Governor Ishiaku Darius of the PDP.