Defection of Tallen, others a non-issue - Plateau PDP
Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the defection of former deputy governor, Dame Pauline Tallen and some other members of the party is of no consequence to it and that the All Progressives Congress (APC) into which they defected is indulging in a game of deceit by playing up their defection.
Pauline Tallen who was Governor Jonah Jang’s deputy had defected to the Labour Party and sought to be governor in 2011, but returned to the PDP and aspired for a senatorial ticket in the party.
She made her decision to join APC public during the party’s presidential rally on Saturday when national chairman of the party, John Oyegun held up her hands as one of the leaders joining APC from PDP.
Acting state chairman of the PDP, Raymond Dabo, said yesterday that Tallen as well as a former PDP governorship aspirant, Professor Longmas Wapmuk and former PDP House of Representatives member, Leo Dilkon, who were similarly introduced by Oyegun were not weighty enough to give PDP sleepless nights.
“As far as our party, PDP is concerned, the purported defection is of no consequence; we are bold to say this because these characters have long lost their reckoning in the political landscape in the state,” Dabo said.
“Those who allegedly defected from the PDP to the APC at Jos Rwang Pam Township Stadium, were members of the PDP in the past who left the party to other parties that are no longer existing in the state, and decided they want to return to the PDP. But we insisted they follow due process knowing they were coming with the plans of destabilising the party.
“The action of Tallen and her cohorts is an act of desperation and part of desperate machination of the APC to misinform the wise voting people of Plateau State,” he said.