Plateau Politics Of Bitterness, Ethnic Rivalry And How PDP Leaders Were In A Logjam Over 2015 Polls; Challenges Of Religious And Tribal Cabals In Plateau
Yakubu Busari
In 1999 the first People Democratic Party primary was conducted in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state at Rwang Pam stadium where President Olusegun Obasanjo emerged victorious defeating Alex Ekwueme .
Chief Solomon Daushep Lar became the first party Chairman and in 2003 Chief Barnabas Gaimade toppled and frustrated him under feud coordinated by Senator Ibrahim Mantu with connection from the presidency which led a crisis that rocked the entire 17 LGAs in Plateau.
However, the government of Chief Joshua Dariye witnessed stiff opposition bringing about the declaration of state of emergency during his second tenure in office in 2006 and General Chris Ali was brought in as sole administrator with Late Chief Michael Botmang as the deputy.
The development continued to steer the state till 2007 when Jang was elected to fill in the gap and work arduously toward redeeming the loss glory of the state but the people experienced the worst system of governance where everything was centered on the Beroms whereby the home of peace and tourism was destroyed.
The leadership style of the former Governor Jang left many citizens indoubt with lopsided appointment of Beroms into key positions of government.
Will the election of Lalong the rescue team magic changer yield any positive result and bring to the yearning and aspirations of the people to achieve total unity or is he a plan killer of the economy which had suffered setback from past administration.
The Political manoeuvrings by elites of various ethnic groups was seen along with religious leaders which amounted to confusion within Plateau leading to the death of People Democratic Party in the state.
After the intrigues of 1999 general election of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Joshua Dariye several factors attempted to whip up religious sentiments behind the scene.
The former Governor Jonah Jang attempted to impose Late GNS Pwajok, however at the end the people choice prevailed and Bar Simon Bako Lalong was overwhelmingly elected by extension, the unity of Plateau state has remained intact, but for how long? With the killings in Riyom, Barkin Ladi ,Wase and Jos South .
Plateau state is now on the shoulder of the new team to work with arduous task of rebuilding the state but not depending on natural economic policy or waiting for monthly allocation to realize the vision for change.
Lalong need to diversify the sources of income generation to reposition Plateau and deliver the dividends of change and democracy to the common man, the Lalong administration should urgently focus on sectors for surgical operation in Agriculture, good health care, Education skills acquisition or vocational training for internally displaced women and youth.
The areas that needed expertise include the economy ,with special emphasis on diversification ,power supply ,resuscitation of the small businesses of Fish farm in Panyam, NALDA in Wase ,Bokkos, Zalekai farmland ,rebuilding of Jos main market authority, employment generation , promotion of Agriculture ,security ,anti-corruption war and finished rural /urban.
The administration should also show the example that will change the perception of public office as an avenue for private accumulation and financial aggrandizement.
With the gloomy picture being painted by Lalong team the rate of inflation is rising as the common man is at the receiving end to bear the burden of the surge in prices of food items.
However, his rescue mission is a fabrication and figment of hyperactive imagination which the economy is biting harder and unemployment is now growing in geometrical proportions.
Fielding of the northern candidate in the 2015 general elections was a costly mistake by the PDP, the zoning formula put in place by the party founding fathers was jettisoned by its leadership at the time.
Plateau which is described as a PDP state with all its stakeholders in support of the APC candidates to win the 2015 due to none compliance to zoning arrangement.
Ambassador Fedelis Tapgun, Engr Jimmy Cheto, Sen. Victor Rampyal Lar ,Mrs Pauline Tallen ,Arc John Alkali, Ambassador Ignatius Longjan are all from the southern senatorial district ,while the central district has Sen Joshua Dariye ,the deputy senate President Ibrahim Mantu ,Ambassador Bagudu Hirse all worked hard to ensure the PDP candidate’s failure in their bid to install government of redemption continue .
The pursuit of power could be veritably engrossing which has taken epic melodrama by desperate bid for power towards actualizing their inordinate ambition at all costs when those concerned started to dance naked in the market square.
They all ran haywire like a group of children chasing chicken; they sorted to all sorts of foul means at the expense of their rivals…
As it is with the characters in a disgraceful tears in eyes of a widow so it is with the typical Nigerian politicians ,he is not shy of resorting to outlandish means in order to “win” power or elections at all costs as far as he concerned ,”foul is fair and fair is foul”.
