Expelled Gombe PDP Campaign DG, Bala Tinka Defects To APC As Face Saving Device
The Oasis Reporters
February 2, 2019
As the APC presidential campaign train gets to PDP controlled Gombe State, Saturday, February 2, 2019, expelled former Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign organisation in Gombe State will defect officially to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Alhaji Bala Bello Tinka (alias Tinka Point) met with President Muhammadu Buhari at State House, Abuja, on Thursday night, where he pledged allegiance to the APC, and also vowed to bring his political weight to bear on the election of the President for a second term in office.
Coming exactly a fortnight to the presidential election, the defection of Alhaji Tinka may look like having dealt a blow to the PDP in Gombe which PDP currently governs, and has done so since 2003. But alas, it is not.
Alhaji Tinka who became the PDP Campaign Director General as compensation after his loss to Senator Bayero Nafada in the Party primaries election, obviously never lost interest in his gubernatorial ambition.
Shortly after the inaugural PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Take off/ launch at Kaltungo in Gombe South Senatorial district, posters with blurred photos of a supposedly Democratic People’s Party, DPP gubernatorial candidate under an assumed name of “Raba Gardama” surfaced in Gombe. Raba Gardama was an unknown name in Gombe State but citizens kept their suspicions to themselves.
Until the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC published the list of Gombe State candidates. It became clear that the assumed “Raba Gardama” was indeed, Bala Tinka. The PDP promptly expelled the politician for anti party activities.
Ironically, in offering prayers as then DG of the PDP Campaign Launch at Katagum, a few weeks ago, Bala Tinka had implored Almighty Allah to expose and expel whoever betrays the party.
He became the one to fall victim of his own prayer.
President Muhammadu Buhari campaigns in Gombe, Saturday, and Alhaji Tinka is expected to formally join the APC, alongside others, during the event, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said Friday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has finalized the electoral candidates list and published it, meaning that Bala Tinka remains officially the DPP gubernatorial candidate. How would it work out between him and the All Progressive Congress, APC candidate in Gombe State, since the window for withdrawals has already lapsed ?
Many analysts, ask.
