Plateau APC In Rumble, As Christian, Muslim Community Set To Resist Lalong Imposition Of His Serving Commissioner For Bye Election

Yakubu Busari

Plateau State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, as a political party is heading towards hitting a rock as the State Government has allegedly embarked on an unconvinced selection of favorite choice of Hon . Abbey Aku in the forthcoming race.

The Stakeholders in Jos North are underway to scuttle the agendas of imposition of candidates in Jos North/Bassa Federal constituency of Plateau bye-election saga.

This medium gathering that the Hausa community are frowning at the manner the governor is using impunity to impose unpopular person as the government favoured candidate even though that didn’t go down well with the community, who are planning mass defection to any political party if the Governor remains adamant with his decision.

According to the source, they have concluded arrangements to dump APC over the plan to manipulate the outcome of the forthcoming party primaries in favour of Hon Abbey Aku.

The anointing of Hon. Abbey Aku would be one of the biggest mistakes of Governor Simon Bako Lalong who is the beneficiary of the protest votes in the 2015 governorship election.

The Plan by Jang to impose GN.Pwajok late as someone to replace him was not just welcome but was rejected vehemently at the polls across the 17 LGAs.

However, history is about to repeat itself when governor Lalong close to the end of his administration is now allowing politicians to becloud his sense of reasoning.

Besides seeing Hon . Abbey Aku as a Rukuba person, the Ikichi tribe predominantly occupying the Plateau North sees him as a political traitor who betrayed the late Pwajok which he served as the Director of Campaign.

The dead-end of the greater together slogan changed the minds of the entire Rukuba people where they accused him of dragging them into supporting an unpopular candidate and abandoning the vision after his demise.

Hon.Abbey Aku has left many sons and daughters of the Rukuba pondering with regrets whether he is truly a true democrat that have his people at heart even when he was serving as the commissioner in the present cabinet.

Some political pundits lamented that the commissioner refused to support a credible person in Rukuba chiefdom to run for the post, but greed has overtaken him, where he is only thinking of himself.

They described his elder brothers as well behaved and those that receive a command in the land when they speak of any political arrangements within Rukuba land are filled with talented people who are accommodating in nature.

The arrays of aspirants buying forms in Bassa LGA indicating interest to contest with Hon Lumumba Adah Adeh after scoring the worst results conducted by Sen . Timothy Adudu was an idea created to divide the voters because some of them can’t buy forms to contest, but all is just an avenue to divide them.

What is happening to voters in this Plateau bye-election is like night falls in Soweto, a qualified aspirant is jettisoned on the platform of hatred and tribal affiliation, anchored solely on backbiting, jealousy of they didn’t support my ambition in 2019.

Threat and counter threats continue to raise their ugly head in the electioneering campaign of a particular ethnic group to condemn them and give them a bad name all to score a game.

As learned, some huge amount of money is used to appease the Muslim community to forget HoR  Seat for Bassa/Jos North.

The APC, as a political party is not having a respite on the Plateau Political Turf. Emerging Political challenges are apt in the preparation for the 2022 and 2023, Bye-elections and General elections respectively. Governor Simon Bako Lalong has been accused of negligence in the refill of the BASSA/JOS NORTH federal constituency seat which became vacant on April, 2nd 2021.

The Governor did not show any interest in the bye-elections, which ought to have been held, 3 months ie, July 2021.

The reasons for that, as revealed by a source close to the Governor, were that allegedly he doesn’t want any Muslim on the seat anymore, according to the source; the Governor said that Muslims have continuously dominated the seat since 2003.

The Governor, it was alleged called on the Muslim aspirants, gave them N100, 000 each, took them to Abuja, and clearly informed them that, he is not begging them but informing them of his decision to give Christians the seat.

Our information confirmed that the aspirants felt too insulted, shamed, and wondered that even in Jang Administration, and beyond no such religious extremity was ever expressed by a chief executive.

The religious leaders in both Christian and Islam interviewed showed so much circumspection and refused to comment openly, as the decision by the Governor is capable of building serious tensions in the volatile State.

The Governor has recruited some Muslims in Jos North and BASSA to ensure that his decision goes through no matter whose ox is gored. That, the Chairman of JOS NORTH, Shehu BALA, and One SANI Mudi have been allegedly mobilized to take care of the youths, Emirs, and religious leaders within Jos North.

That, in that, regards all delegates and public servants are being threatened to either Vote in the Christian aspirants or be sacked immediately after.

The general atmosphere in the constituency is that, let the Governor put anyone, the Polls would speak the most. The Muslims feel so disappointed in Lalong, as they were used to bringing him to power. The 30,000 votes used to defeat Jang, came from JOS NORTH.

The Aspirants the Governor has directed to be considered are, initially, One Joseph Abbey Aku from Rukuba, but later changed his mind to One GEOFFREY Teme, after serious protests by various interest groups, including the Christian Association, against Abbey Aku, for being pompous and too disrespectful, and a betrayal of trusts.

APC, which was seen as a Muslim Party, abused and castigated upon, is now being used by Lalong to abuse Muslims in BASSA and JOS NORTH.

In continuing with the threats and directives of the Governor, the Chairman of Jos North LGA and SANI Mudi are said to be distributing the N150m Cash released by the Government House to religious Leaders identified by them as strategic to the seizure of the House of Reps seat from the Muslims.

A sharp reaction was visited on the matter by one Islamic leader in JOS NORTH, who gave the duo of SANI Mudi and Shehu BALA a week before they witness the reaction of the Muslims in both BASSA and JOS NORTH. They are planning to put fire on the state by collecting money to distribute to religious leaders.

Further information has it that, Lalong has threatened to deal with all Muslim leaders for daring to oppose him after he had taken them along, giving them Chairmanship of JOS NORTH, giving them Commissioner. On this, the questions raised are, are these people second rated citizens?

Lalong is planting fire for the next Governor, knowing fully well that his abysmal performance would not guarantee a return of APC.