Why PDP Redeployed Barr Sunday Marshal And Replaced Him With Prof Maxwell Gidado To Conduct Ward, LGs Congresses In Plateau-Yakubu Chocho
Yakubu Busari
The Plateau state PDP Caretaker Chairman, Hon Yakubu Chocho has given an insight on the reasons for the party National Secretariat submitting two lists of Chairmen to conduct ward, Local Government congresses on the 21st March 2020 under the careful supervision of security personnel.
The PDP secretariat earlier sent Prof Maxwell Gidado to the state but before his arrival, the security information ordered that the state is not safe for the exercise based on the restraining order of the federal and state governors that nobody is allowed to a gathering of people numbering 50 in a particular place owning to the deadly COVID-19 epidemic wild spread.
Chocho made this disclosure at the state party Secretariat on Tuesday, while responding to news of Jeremiah Timbut Useni and Former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu boycotting the exercise.
He explained that those saddled with the responsibility of conducting the exercise were all at the state party headquarters ready with the voting materials to be deployed to their various places of assignment and the executives including myself, we were waiting for his arrival.
“We have set ground to prepare with the necessary voting materials but when Prof Maxwell Gidado came he told us that the police phone to inform him that they can’t guarantee their safety which is based on security report available.
“However, the INEC staff said they won’t participate and the only option was to ask him to come down to the party hall and address the officers going to conduct the election, “As law-abiding citizens, the party all comply with the order even though We have to call the national Secretariat for more clarification but they quickly ask if there was the breakdown of law and order in Plateau state on that Saturday which made us go round to find out.
Chocho revealed that on Saturday morning, the immediate gubernatorial candidate of PDP, in the person of General Jeremiah Timbut Useni, former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Hon, Damishi Sango the outgone chairman were all at the state party headquarters when the cancellation of the exercise was announced by Prof Maxwell Gidado before leaving to Abuja.
He commended Governor Simon Bako Lalong for advising citizens not a total ban, so we discovered that we have right to activities, the delegates who were already asked to stop their movement waiting for Prof Maxwell Gidado but he called to let us know that the security can’t be guaranteed them and they brief.
We went round to Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi, their Old Association were conducting their Congress and then, we took the decisive measure to go ahead because no one can stop political gathering why not stop a similar that of Plateau polytechnic.
Meanwhile, the Wase Local Government Council Congress was full of complaints by the Useni led faction of the PDP were Hon Dr. Jacob Dashe has already filed a suit before the federal high court challenging the PDP leadership including the Chairman three-man committee, Hon Nansel Lakai .
Jacob Dashe said they were sidelined completely and the venue of the delegates’ election was not MDGs which they alleged their delegates were not allowed into the voting venue.
The Chairman Gwott Yakubu Chocho maintained that when Prof Maxwell Gidado failed to go ahead with the election we had to call, Mr. Uche Secondu who promptly responded by sending Barr Sunday Marshall and the police that refuses on grounds of not guaranteeing their security during and after the exercise deployed their personnel with the order from the PDP leadership.
He lauded Governor Simon Lalong for taken this measure to prevent the spread of Covid 19 but charge to provide all the entrance points with testing machines and to also equip our local hospitals to help manage the epidemics.
