Yakubu Busari
Now that the country is moving towards conducting fresh election to bring in elected President, Governors, Members of the state Assemblies, Senators and House of Representatives, Plateau state is not left out of the electioneering campaign journey.
The state has also enjoyed its share of political conflict ranging from mayhem, maiming and constant harassment between the herders and farmers’ clashes which has left many deaths but in the past 3 years the killing subsided under the leadership of Governor Simon Bako Lalong .
The electioneering campaign journey has been full of political jingles, posters and advertorials on the pages of newspapers but political pundits laid claim that the Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state had not achieved a lot of his campaign promises to the electorates since assumption of seat of government in 2015 .
But going by humble and slow calculated tactic to shame his opposition party ,the Governor has done credibly well in the area of continuity of completion of all abandon projects of the Ex- Governor Jonah David Jang ,especially the secretariat round overhead ,Jos to Mararaba ,Ungwan Rogo road ,Tudun wada ,to Kabong ,State Low cost road ,Dung to Wildlife park and many deaths trap New Government house road.
However, with the recent achievement recorded in three years some of the Governor accusers on media are gradually defecting to the APC to drum support for his reelection bid.
With the flag-off campaign at the Rwang Pam stadium to herald the governor campaign journey the ground was witness by a mammoth crowd within the state capital and the 17 local government areas of the state to usher in the mood of canvassing for votes.
The number of defectors were overwhelming that the time frame couldn’t allow the APC Chairman ,Hon Letep Dabang to officially invite the those decampees individually to the podium for onwards recognition by the national leadership of APC ,Comrade Adams Oshomole who earlier arrived the venue in company of the host governor Simon Lalong .
Besides, the culture of blaming each other’s to gain sympathy of votes the PDP ,flag-off was also scheduled for the same Friday 4th of 2019 but they cancelled it due to internal arrangement to move date to Tuesday ,10th 2019 at Mangu Mini Stadium .
In our effort to reel out the slow silence achievement this medium embark on research finding of visiting ongoing rehabilitation of roads within the state capital ,installation of upgrading the second class traditional stool to first class ,given hope to selected development areas and wooing opposition party to join the APC family .
Although the state had continued to witness political upheaval rocking some parts of Barkin Ladi, Riyom ,Mangu ,Bassa which is popularly seen by local and international observers as farmers ,herders clashes where many natives were brutally murder houses destroy by unknown gun men ,that didn’t stop the function of government to perform its duty of repositioning the state civil service ,recruitments of young graduates into teaching ,and empowering persons living with disabilities across the state.
The unity of oneness has been anchored by the Lalong led administration to provide the people oriented government in identifying the social needs of every sectors of the economic and adequately walk towards addressing them by focusing more on human capital development which is carefully monitor and adhere to the five pillars policy of the rescue mission of Plateau state governor Simon Lalong.
However ,after the his reelection bid the task of governance before governor Simon Lalong if given the mandate of leadership come 2019 ,was was to embark on aggressive development of Plateau Southern senatorial district to end Senator seat of representing Shendam, Langtang south, North ,Wase ,Mikang Quaan Pan at the red chamber .
The long anticipated roads network from Wase to Langtang North ,Shendam to Langtang South through Kadarko and Bashar to Lamba ,and Lamba -Busari to Jarmai will open up these agricultural communities who are predominantly farmers yearning for electricity ,good education and qualitative drinking water to elevate their plight of migration to the urban settlement in search for white cola jobs .
Another area that gave this government advantage to seek reelection is the peaceful conduct of free and fair LG election which was described as the most rigged that sensitive materials main for the election was abandon across the state by the returning officers and they finally doctored results was announced at the State Independent Electoral Commission headquarters by the PLASIEC Chairman ,Hon Fibian Ntung Ari .
This is fresh relief to the usual tradition of breakdown of law and order that characterized the return of hostilities in some parts of Plateau state but the major flash points which is Jos North, Jos South ,Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government areas experience peace because of the absence of voting .
The political emancipation of Plateau people by Governor Simon Lalong has reflected in the current unity been enjoy in Jos south, North ,inspite of working hard to see a peaceful society ,absence of peace is not absence of war ,the state still under siege of political rivalries between the PDP,and APC .
When this battle kick off Simon Lalong and Sen. Jeremiah Timbut Useni are moving into the boxing ring of challenging each for the game of popularity many supporters are not thinking straight some are going about following the party secretariats to get their own share of the party fallout pretending they’re denouncing their membership to join the family this and that .
Those decampees therefore after they have lost to incumbent they would be linking their wounds by returning to beg for relevant telling the world that the government is not performing well and that is why they want defect back ,we can see the like many traders in politics seeking to be recognize .
The PDP State Campaign Council has shifted the party’s official campaign take -off from Friday, January 4, 2019 to Tuesday, January 8, 2019. However, the party maintains Mangu as the venue for the flag-off.
This was the major decision taken by the State Campaign Council at its emergency session presided over by PDP Chairman Hon Damishi Sango at the party’s secretariat in Jos.
The Council explained that it has received credible information about the likelihood of a security breach since the ruling party in the state has also scheduled its flag-off the same Friday.
The party therefore wants to pre-empt an attack on its supporters and innocent people in Mangu and along the way by supporters travelling for or from the APC rally in Jos.
The party wants the people of Plateau to know that PDP has the highest regards for their safety, peace and stability of all communities.
It will therefore work to ensure that it avoids any provocative plans by the ruling party to further worsen the already ugly security situation in the state, especially in the Northern and Central Zones.
One of PDP’s cardinal objectives is to empower the people economically. For this the party does not wish to deprive the people of the economic benefits of the internationally renowned Friday Mangu Market.
It wants the people all over the state and those coming from even outside the country to gain the full advantage of the Mangu Market holding on Fridays without having to sacrifice it or experience excruciating congestion. The economic freedom of the people is crucial especially at this point that the APC administration has only succeeded in making people’s lives more unbearable through mis-governance.
Hon Sango also informed the Council that the party’s leadership has agreed on some well-thought out measures to reconcile aggrieved members and motivate all party loyalists and friends to continue to be supportive of the party.
He said he is concerned about the issues some party members are raising to justify their leaving, staying aloof from the party, or attacking some personalities.
“We have started implementing specific and strategic steps to address all the issues.
“I appeal to party members to stand very firm and communicate in a way that will build the party.
“I have no grudges against anyone. My doors are open always. Let us talk as a family please.
“PDP will not fail the people of Plateau. Let us forgive each other and move on as a family to restore the fortune of Plateau people. There can be no excuse to allow APC return to power in this year’s election. None whosoever.”
The state chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon Letep Dabang received decampees from the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and other political parties.
According to Latep, “The Plateau state All Progressives Congress APC, has been working tirelessly with a view to putting in place a credible campaign council.
“Friday’s event brought together the entire APC family from across the 17 local government areas of the state as well as the nation which was best describe as epochal and groundbreaking.
“Conscious of this responsibility, we have therefore come to intimate you on what is expected to happen. Specifically, the party play host to a large number of dignitaries, including the national chairman of the party, HE comrade Adams Oshiomhole who received a large number of decampees from the main opposition party, the people’s democracy party, PDP, as well as other political parties,”
This emphasizes the need for PMB and his supporters to moderate their language and approach to politics generally.
The APC today has, with its poor performance and record of corruption, emboldened the PDP that it devastated in 2015 with abusive language, claims and promises.
As a ruling party, this arsenal have been depleted. It is now a case of the kettle calling the pot black. PDP today, as an opposition, has every right to fight back using the same Yet, it will be better if both sides show decorum in the way they treat each other.
The President, as the leader and pacesetter, should abandon the belligerent, accusatory and protestant language of the opposition and start to address the PDP and its members with respect. Otherwise, they will continue to borrow from the street language of those I watched in a Kano rally video, drumming, dancing and singing, “Buhari mai barawo”,apparently referring to his continuous consort with Ganduje.
The only difference is while this was at a rally in Kano, the legislators are singing theirs on the floor of the National Assembly.
The President, who stands to be damaged most, can stop it, not by force but by learning to respect his opponent, now that they stand on the same pedestal. It is a game of give and take.
He cannot continue to take, take and take respect forever without giving it.
