Former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Joel Ikenya, has officially left the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State.
In a statement he made available to journalists in Jalingo, Mr Ikenya said his decision followed careful deliberation and consultations, which he described as being in the best interest of the people of Taraba.
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He expressed gratitude to the PDP for its role in his political journey, noting that the party provided the platform that allowed him to hold key positions in government.
“I am pleased to announce that I have formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the interest of my people, Tarabans,” Mr Ikenya wrote.
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“You are all aware that the PDP remains the party that has given me the platform to attain all the positions I have ever held in politics, and this is where I believe I am valued and appreciated.”
He also took the opportunity to thank his supporters for their loyalty throughout his decades-long political career, assuring them that his move was guided by a commitment to serve his constituents effectively.
Mr Ikenya began his political career in the early 1990s and was elected to the Taraba State House of Assembly under the defunct Social Democratic Party. He later returned to the Assembly as a member of the PDP after Nigeria’s return to democracy, serving from 1999 to 2003, and subsequently in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007.
In 2007, Mr Ikenya was elected to the Senate, representing Taraba South on the PDP platform. During his tenure in the Senate, he chaired the Senate Committee on Commerce and was a member of the Committee on Appropriations.
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In March 2015, he was appointed Minister of Labour and Productivity by former President Goodluck Jonathan, a position he held until May of the same year.
Over the years, he has also pursued the governorship of Taraba State on multiple occasions, contesting under different party banners, including the Labour Party and the APC.
His political activities have earned him a reputation as a grassroots politician with deep influence, particularly in his home local government area of Wukari.
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