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By Marie-Therese Nanlong
THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ward congresses held nationwide on November 1 has come and gone with controversies trailing the exercise across the States.
THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ward congresses held nationwide on November 1 has come and gone with controversies trailing the exercise across the States.
While some lauded the exercise, many others described it as “fraud, robbery, illegal” and called for its cancellation.
In Plateau state, the case is not different as the party’s Acting Chairman, Raymond Dabo has not failed to brag about “the huge success of the ward congresses.” However, many party aspirants and supporters maintain they were robbed.
In Plateau state, the case is not different as the party’s Acting Chairman, Raymond Dabo has not failed to brag about “the huge success of the ward congresses.” However, many party aspirants and supporters maintain they were robbed.
Jang: Stop complaining against God’s choice
Although the aggrieved members have already petitioned the national leadership of the party in Abuja, internal bickering and reactions continue to trail the exercise in the State.
Among the latest to complain are the immediate past Speaker of the State House of Assembly and member representing Mangu South, Rt. Hon. John Clark Dabwan and the Plateau PDP Youths of Conscience who called for the cancellation of the entire exercise in the state.
Dabwan, a governorship aspirant condemned what he called “obvious hitches which characterized the ward congress of the party in the state.”
Equity and fair play
He called on the national secretariat of the party to address the problem in the interest of equity and fair play and urged the people to be vigilant throughout the electioneering process and ensure that only those who have the interest of the people at heart and not impostors are elected into various offices.
Similarly, a group, Plateau PDP Youths of Conscience through Mangut Peter and Mizim Haruna, its coordinator and secretary respectively, called on the national secretariat of the Party to conduct a fresh congress in the State.
According the duo, “We are not unaware of the overflow of petitions that followed the poor conduct of the special delegate congresses held on the 1st of November, 2014. It is on record that there were no congresses conducted anywhere in the State.
“The attempt to conduct one in Pankshin local government area led to its cancellation and we are yet to know the outcome of the rescheduled congress that held the following day.
“We hereby urge the national secretariat to as a matter of necessity dissolve the State congresses and another exercise be transparently conducted. The committee that conducted the earlier exercise be disbanded and relevant state organs which encouraged the flouting of the constitution should be sanctioned.”
The group maintains its members will stand against all who seek to use and destroy the party and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to take note and address “these threats to internal democracy in the state chapter of the PDP.
In another development, another group under the aegis of Plateau Youth Vanguard said the exercise was credible and vowed to resist any attempt to short change the lists of delegates who emerged during the exercise.
The group urged the national chairman of the Party, Alh. Adamu Mua’zu to maintain the delegate list provided by the State PDP Acting Chairman, Hon. Raymond Dabo.
Chairman of the group, Joel Jonathan in a press statement issued in Jos described the process leading to the emergence of the delegates as rigorous, credible, free and fair and applauded the PDP family in the state for conducting itself in an orderly manner during the congress.
Peaceful character
He challenged Plateau citizens to exhibit the same peaceful character during the subsequent polls in the overall interest of peace and unity in the state.
The statement reads, “We wish to commend the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State for a peaceful conduct of the recent PDP Ward Congress. This attests to the fact that Plateau State is a PDP state, and the people have totally accepted PDP as a political party.
“We will therefore resist any attempt made by any individual or group of persons to change the original list of delegates
which emerged during the congress, we want the national chairman of the party, Alh. Admau Mua’azu to honour only the list of delegates provided by the State Chairman, Hon. Raymond Dabo.
which emerged during the congress, we want the national chairman of the party, Alh. Admau Mua’azu to honour only the list of delegates provided by the State Chairman, Hon. Raymond Dabo.
Jonathan chided those who petitioned the national chairman of the party and President Goodluck Jonathan against the conduct of the exercise describing them as agents who are not interested in the unity and success of the party in the state.
They warned that any attempt to change the list of delegates submitted by the state secretariat will be resisted, adding that “the delegates emerged during a free and fair contest where a level playing ground was provided and anybody who is aggrieved should go and lobby to win support of the delegates.”
To support the latter group’s stance, Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang took a swipe at the state’s gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the PDP saying they should prove their worth if they want to govern the State.
Jang who lambasted the aspirants for “black-mailing him before the presidency and the party leadership at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja stated, “instead of you to campaign, you are running to Abuja, Abuja will not come and vote for you.”
Political offices
The governor spoke at the Government House, Rayfield after swearing in four newly appointed Commissioners to fill the spaces created by four of the Executive Council members who resigned to contest other political offices.
According to him, “Politicians should stop black-mailing me and accept God’s will. There is no zoning in the Plateau governorship seat, those running to Abuja to report me should cease henceforth.
“It is God that gives power and no human being can stop who God has anointed and if you are not anointed, nobody can bring you into power.
“God has already anointed someone, instead of people to go round and campaign and tell people what they can do, they are busy running to Abuja, Abuja will not come and vote in Plateau.”
Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial zone, Gyang Pwajok who is generally believed to be the anointed has on his part urged the people of Plateau State not to allow the forthcoming elections to divide them but all should work together to achieve greatness and a better Plateau for the coming generations.
“With or without zoning, I am eligible to run for the seat. There was no agreement from any quarter that after Jang’s tenure the northern zone should step down for any candidate from the southern zone.
“With the submission of my nomination form at the National Secretariat of our Party, I am determined to continue to reach out to all the people of Plateau state in the 17 local government councils. We should not allow the issue of zoning to divide us but we must stand together to achieve a greater Plateau.”
He reminded the people that “only God gives power” and tasked the youths to see themselves as people who have the opportunity to make a different in the coming dispensation.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/pdp-murmuring-plateau/#sthash.Ylh04fMK.dpuf
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