Yakubu Busari
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau state has zoned the governorship position to Plateau South senatorial district to produce the 2019 candidate.
This was made known during the State Executive Council of the party to allowed the zone to produce the gubernatorial candidate to return power to the people come 2019.
It was a decision reached during a stakeholders meeting of the zone, held in Shendam on Saturday, 12th November, 2016, following the defection of the House of Assembly member representing Mikang, Hon. Na’anlong Daniel.
Sen. Jeremiah Useni sued for unity and called on every PDP member to join hands with the EXCO of the party at all levels to lift the party to higher heights.
He reiterated that our votes belong to a party and not an individual according to a Supreme Court ruling and as such, the party has met and deliberated on the matter with far reaching decisions for INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Hon. Na’anlong Daniel.
Bar. Binchen Jantur, the Plateau State PDP Legal Adviser, in his remarks, said the State EXCO has sat down on the matter and are getting set to go to court. “If PDP were to be in power, the Speaker would have simply declared their seats vacant but now, the only option is to go to court.
We are not taking it lightly so that others will not do the same mistake” he said.
Southern Zone Vice Chairman, Hon. Simon V. Domle, said Stakeholders in Mikang LGA met and wrote an official letter to the State EXCO over the matter with the aim of getting back the PDP’s mandate; adding that the party at the Zonal level is in support of whatever action Mikang LGA PDP has taken and whatever the State EXCO is doing to reclaim the PDP’s mandate.
Hon. Domle also hinted that Stakeholders in Mikang have already met and written an official letter to the State EXCO over the matter with the aim of getting back the mandate which attention is being given accelerated hearing.
The State Secretary of the party, Hon. Damian Shekarau said, “being in opposition is not easy, so as a party we must remain firm and dogged. By God’s grace, the crises at the national level of the party will soon be a thing of the past with the constitution of the Appeal Panel to reconcile all the cases which has so far given judgement in favour of the Makarfi-led group and the Barr. Eyitayo Jegede governorship candidature in the Ondo elections”.
Hon. Shekarau reiterated that a political solution is still open to be considered. “It is wrong for anybody to decamp with the people’s mandate to another party. As an individual, you may decamp to any party at any time but you cannot carry the mandate of the people along with you” he added.
The Deputy Chairman of Qua’an Pan LGC and an Elder statesman in the party, Hon. Cyril Longpuan, called for unity and cohesion in the party as elections are around the corner.
“We want the southern zone to produce the next governor based on the party’s zoning formula” he said. “The southern zone EXCO should approach the State EXCO and make a definite pronouncement that the governorship seat be zoned to Plateau South Senatorial District” he added.
Hon. Nancwat Bendel, the Executive Chairman of Langtang South LGC who spoke on behalf of Council Chairmen said there is need to intensify efforts in raising awareness for the party, especially now that the PDP is no longer in power.
While hinting that the PDP must do all within its power to reclaim power in 2019; Hon. Bendel added that it is the turn of the southern zone and the PDP because Plateau people have tried APC and APC has failed gracefully. We must provide the better option.
Hon. Raymond Domwam, PDP Chairman, Qua’an Pan LGA who spoke on behalf of PDP LGA Chairmen reiterated the need for public pronouncements by the State EXCO for Plateau South to be allowed to produce the next Governor.
The PDP Chairman, North Central Zone of Nigeria, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan, while admitting that PDP is no longer what it used to be, thanked God for the taste of what being in the opposition is. He added that he is optimistic that the party will bounce back especially with the end in sight of the crises at the national level.
He gave a rundown of some of the challenges the PDP is facing in all the states of the North Central Zone of Nigeria, adding that these challenges, though daunting, are surmountable with unity of purpose.
Highlight of the meeting was the swearing-in of Plateau Southern Zone PDP EXCO. They include:
- Mrs Jummai- Woman Leader- Shendam
- Mr. Binkap Mamtul- Organising Secretary- L/North
- Emmanuel Tama- Youth Leader- Mikang
- Alh. Mohammed Bello- Ex-officio- Qua’an Pan
- Mr. Elisha Vongpyen- Ex-officio- L/South
- Miss Jummai Datyem- Ex-officio- L/North
- Umar Saidu Bashar- Ex-officio- Wase
- Miss Manji Lammtur- Ex-Officio-L/South
