APC, PDP’s intrigues ahead of Plateau LG polls

With thousands of people sensitized on the forthcoming local government election in Plateau State, the political atmosphere now seems tensed up. Less than two months to the February 17, 2018 polls, the Community Action for Popular Participation (CAPP), says it has sensitized more than 3000 people, especially youths, women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through its public awareness programmes for citizens’ participation in electoral processes; among other groups.

The aim, according to CAPP’s Programme Manager in Plateau State, Nelson Ananze, was to ensure a violence free election and increase participation in the election processes.

With the seriousness shown by external body and outcomes of the various councillorship and chairmanship primaries recently conducted by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), analysts say one might conclude that the February polls may not be business as usual.

At a time that all eyes seem to be on Jos North, the most contentious local government area (LGA) in the state, the area witnessed peaceful primaries by the APC, PDP and the newly formed Action Democratic Party (ADP). Instead, violent clashes and signs of desperations reared their ugly heads in Kanke, Kanam and Langtang South LGAs.

The PDP chairmanship primaries in Kanke turned violent when rival supporters of two chairmanship aspirants - Raymon Deshi and Lengwe Wushangka - allegedly engaged in violent protests, over purported substitution of delegates list. The protest led to a rescheduling of the primaries at the PDP secretariat in Jos which Raymond Deshi eventually won.

In Langtang South, the APC primaries were equally postponed due to political tension, a former caretaker committee chairman of the LGA, Nicholas Vongsing, told Daily Trust on phone. The primary was also rescheduled in Jos and later won by Hon. Nimchak Rims.

However, there were surprises in certain local government areas as intrigues, power play and alliances saw the emergence of dark horses who defeated some aspirants backed by heavy weights.

In Jos South for instance, the general belief is that whoever emerges as the PDP candidate for councillorship and chairmanship positions must seek the blessing of former governor Jonah Jang. Tongues had wagged that Jang was backing the aspiration of his former Chief Security Officer, Dung Dalyop, who aspired for the Jos South chairmanship ticket. However, Dalyop and another aspirant backed by a former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Christ Giwa, lost to Emmanuel Solomon Dung whom many say was an independent aspirant.

Those close to Jang had in the long run hinted that the senator representing Plateau North never backed any aspirant and had promised to support whoever emerged as the party’s candidate.

Delegates also surprised many in Riyom when they voted against the aspirant backed by the member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency, Hon. Istifanus Gyang. Instead, they aligned with former commissioner for finance, Davou Mang, to ensure that Kim Titus Danja became the party’s candidate.

The power play that ensued during the APC primaries in Kanam also saw the state Deputy Speaker, Saleh Yipmon, aligning with the member representing Kantana constituency in Kanam, Yusuf Gagdi, to back Mohammed Barau, thereby frustrating the aspiration of Hon. Abbas Wagdun, who was being supported by the state commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dayyabu Garga.

Nonetheless, with the primaries now out of the way, pundits say the only way to justify the two-year delay in the elections is for Governor Simon Lalong to ensure the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) is given a free hand to conduct a free and fair election.

What is certain for now is that, the February polls are expected to be a tug of war that will test the popularity of the APC and the PDP in the state. For the APC, February 17 will test the party’s acceptance in the grassroots and determine how the area would respond to Governor Lalong’s 2019 aspiration. For the PDP on the other hand, the election is a test to determine whether the party is still relevant and strong enough to reclaim power and put a dent in Lalong’s 2019 ambition.

The PDP Publicity Secretary, John Akans, expressed his party’s readiness for the February election stressing that, “the PDP is the only party in the country that believes in the people and shares their pain. We are hopeful of winning the elections because the PDP is everywhere in the state. Just gather three people and ask them about where their interest is, two would tell you the PDP.”

In Jos North, where elections have not been held since 2008, PDP has come up with Aminu Zang, an Anaguta whom feelers show is being sponsored by the Gbong Gwom, Jacob Gyang Buba, while the APC candidate is the former secretary of the council, Shehu Bala Usman, a candidate largely supported by the Hausa community popularly referred to as ‘Jasawa’.

It is the same local government that is instrumental to Governor Lalong’s emergence as governor, feelers indicate that the governor had promised not to interfere with the primaries in the area, vowing to support whoever emerges as the party’s flag bearer. But Bala’s emergence, having defeated the former caretaker committee chairman and his one-time boss, Theresa Azi, has already created discord among certain groups, including the youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Jos North. The group has written a letter to Governor Lalong, claiming that delegates were taken to the mosque under duress to vote the aspirant based on religion.

When asked to comment, the APC Secretary, Bashiru Musan Sati, said the party was against the use of religion as a means to get votes but was quick to point out that the burden is on the complainants to prove the allegation.

Sati, however, stated that, “from the content of their letter, there is need for clarification which is that there are two commercial halls in the mosque that anybody may wish to use. The same halls have been used by past governorship candidates. So, anybody can use those halls.”

He said that despite the tensions in some areas, the party primaries had been free and fair, adding that, “Internal democracy prevailed. We have an appeal committee, therefore, if an aspirant is aggrieved, he or she should write to the appeal committee and we would look into the issue.”