The All Progressive Congress (APC), elders cutting across the 17 Local Government Areas of Plateau State has cautioned against unguided political activities tantamount of dividing the party as 2023 general elections depends.
The stakeholders said they are not in support of any form of candidate imposition noting that, “it is our desire that the best leadership materials will eventually emerge as leaders in our state. However, is should not be at the expense of any individual.”
Speaking to reporters on behalf of the elders, Wednesday in Jos the State capital, professor Dimis Mailafiya said it first started as a grumble by a purported group of aspirants whose idea of electioneering campaigns stopped at printing and pasting posters in our urban city and along highways with lofty slogans.
“While the real men and women were crises-crossing the state sharing ideas, appealing supporters and mobilizing to demographics, they enjoy mere appearances at events and the granting of fanciful press interview to to massage their sense of self-worth! When the point arrived to put world in action and buy the party’s relevant and compulsory notification and nomination forms, they failed. Unfortunately, they would not leave the field quietly. Rather than admit to their ineffective campaign methods or appeal to the people, they turned round to the common habit of pull him down syndrome.
Mailafiya revealed that, on the day the six of them, purporting to be 18, held the Press Conference, only one among them had bought the nomination form for the election! In fact, the Chairman who presided over the Press Conference promising to make all necessary sacrifices to defend the interest of Plateau State, apparently, couldn’t also bother to buy the nomination form though he obviously took luxury in the title of aspirant. In typical fashion of a teeny classroom, the group picked on Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe and alleged was the imposed candidate by government.
“The Conference provided absolutely no evidence. This was in spite of the fact that not long before then His Excellency, Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Dr. Simon B. Lalong and the APC State Chairman, Chief Hon. Rufus Bature had on separate occasions addressed the aspirants assuring them that the government and party would remain neutral, but imploring them to collectively resolve on a consensus candidate in order to close the gap. What was ridiculous about this allegation was that the primaries were far ahead and at the time form for nomination was still on sale!
“But why we find it necessary to call this Press Conference today is to give a word of caution against the distraction. Firstly, we noticed how this allegation was quickly latched on by a group calling itself the Equity and Justice Forum. Many of us are also members of this noble organization but we are not aware of when meetings have been called or held. It seems likely that only a couple of personages have met in their parlors to share some views among themselves and these are what we see peddled in the news space.
“We wish to commend the Government of Plateau State under Governor SImon Lalong for the credible democratic process so far. Every player has been given a even playing field, in a free and fair environment. No democratic institution of electoral processes has been tampered with in spite of the lies of imposition.
“We should therefore continue to give support to Governor Lalong and his government to continue to pilot the affairs of the state and people. We should also continue to support the Plateau State APC Chairman, Chief Rufus Bature and his EXCO always as the INEC and its officials in the months ahead so that we shall have a smooth electoral victory,” Mailafiya concluded.
