UNEASY CALM AMIDST TALLEN'S SUPPORTERS

 As preparations to 2023 general elections are ushering in little by little, and politicians are realigning, regrouping and renewing their strategies, there is an uneasy calm amongst supporters of the Minister of Women Affairs, Her Excellency Pauline Tallen.

Investigation by De Grassroots revealed that with the growing popularity of Governor Simon Lalong, the member representing Mikang/Shendam/ Qua'an Pan Federal Constituency, Hon Alphonsus Komsol Longapp, and Senator Nora Dadu'ut's victory at the senatorial by-election, Tallen' supporters at the Southern Zone are running and joining their camps, saying it's clear they have no political future with her particularly with the high handedness of Alhaji Bala Baba her personal Assistant who is more of a technocrat than a politician.

De Grassroots reports in confidence that one of her formidable foot soldiers, a mobilizer and the admin of Nora Gida Gida on WhatsApp, Helen Wapmuk took to her heels by changing camp to that of the governor. Sources close to a renowned youth mobilizer in the southern zone, Prince Miaphen, is alleged to be disenchanted too as can be seen from his support for George Daika of the PDP during the southern zone senatorial by- election despite entreaties from the minister to support APC.

Other allegations from her supporters who preferred anonymity said Baba Bala who is from the northern zone has worked out ways to favour his people more than those from the southern zone. So many complains emanated when he distributed palliatives during the lockdown in 2020 favouring one side.

Recently it was learnt that he lobbied for Shehu Maika to be made the press director of the minister instead of a person from the southern zone, her constituency. They lamented that most times they meet her with problems; she refers them to Bala which at the end it goes down the drain.

The fear of most of Tallen's supporters is how they will mobilize support for her since none of her aides is from the southern zone apart from her daughter, and that they are not doing enough to keep her supporters to her side.