Nahum Sule, 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 over struggle to plant prefer candidates in the state upcoming local government election.

Correspondent 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.

All efforts by journalists to get the angry capt. Ndatse’s reasons for his actions proved abortive, as the former state Assembly majority leader decline comment after the fight.

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 Hon. Suntai, capt. Ndatse however opposed to the stakeholders decision and started shouting at each other, 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 and started slapping everyone on his sight.

“It’s unfortunate that Capt. 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 percent 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” Hon. Garalie Suntai narrated.