The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis in Taraba State took a new turn on Wednesday when the state chapter rejected a 16-member caretaker committee that was proposed by a group inside the party’s National Caretaker Working Committee.

With both parties claiming constitutional validity, the development has further revealed the growing fissures within the party’s structure in the state.

It was stated that a segment of the party, purportedly led by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, introduced the caretaker committee to manage the party’s operations in Taraba State on Tuesday.

The panel, led by Victor Falack, was tasked with directing the party’s operations for the first thirty days or until a new executive committee is chosen.

The faction claims that the decision was made to stabilize the party’s structure in the state and in accordance with the party’s constitution.

According to the organization, the action was required to safeguard adherence to constitutional principles and bring peace back to the party’s ranks.

Nevertheless, the announcement was quickly rejected by the PDP’s acknowledged Taraba State leadership, who called it a nullity.

The alleged caretaker committee was characterized as “false, misleading, and unauthorised” in a statement signed by Herbert Faith Bello, the party’s Media and Publicity Officer in the state.

The announcement, according to the statement, came from “an unrecognized body with no constitutional standing within the Party.”

It further charged that the move’s perpetrators were trying to sow doubt and needless strife among the state’s party members.

Reiterating its power, the state chapter stated that Comrade Chief Obidah Bitrus, the Acting Chairman, is still in charge of the PDP in Taraba.

The party’s constitution and internal democracy are upheld by the current leadership structure, which is still in place, the statement emphasized.

The statement said, “Party members and the general public have been advised to disregard the caretaker committee announcement in its entirety as it does not reflect the position of the recognized state leadership or any authentic organ of the party.”