BY CHAMBERLAIN ODEY, JOS – The Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is fast becoming a ghost yard as 72, 357 of its members jumped ship in the last one week, and are now receiving ventilation in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Last week Tuesday during the flag off of the Atiku/Mutfwang campaign in Shendam Local Government Area for the Plateau South Senatorial zone, 17,000 members of the APC fled into the PDP, citing dishonesty, lack of justice in the Party and Lalong’s highhandedness as reasons why they believe their fate is better served in the PDP.
In another fell swoop last Thursday at the Langsfield Park and Gardens Events Center in Jos South where the flag off of campaigns for Plateau North Senatorial zone took place, the State PDP Chairman, Chris Hassan received and announced the defection of 21, 524 APC members who joined the PDP for a new lease of political life.
During a similar rally in Pankshin last Saturday, the PDP again received another set of 43,857 members in what appears like exodus from the APC.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the Atiku/Mutfwang Campaign Organization, Hon Letep Dabang has once again apologized to the people of Plateau State over his role in bringing Simon Lalong to power as Governor, saying “Lalong’s Government is Confusion”.
Dabang, who is also the immediate past State chairman of the APC, noted that the recent kidnap of a Divisional Police Officer in Pankshin Local Government Area of the State has spoken volumes of the cluelessness and lack of direction of the Lalong administration in the State.
Regretting Lalong’s lack faith and purpose which have seen him breaching all the campaign promises he made to the people, Dabang called on the people of Plateau Central Senatorial zone to trust him by extending the same cooperation and confidence to him as he works to get Barrister Caleb Mutfwang elected to redeem and revamp the State from the Lalong misrule.
Speaking in Pankshin during the Plateau Central campaign flag off for the elections of Atiku Abubakar and Caleb Mutfwang, Dabang said the stagnation and infrastructure decay the State has suffered under Lalong and the APC require someone of the commitment, preparedness, forthrightness, and strength of character of Caleb Mutfwang to rebuild.
In a similar vein, a former Governor of the State, Senator Jonah David Jang, urged the people to correct the mistake of the past which ushered in the darkness that has characterized the Lalong era by voting for the PDP candidates holistically to facilitate the reenactment of responsible and people-centred governance in the State.
In his address, 94-year old former Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland, Yahaya Kwande, called on the people to be part of the resolve and drive to reposition Nigeria and Plateau State by voting for Atiku Abubakar as president, and Caleb Mutfwang as governor.
Senator Istyfanus Dung Gyang expressed concern about the rate of kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, hunger, and poverty, and accordingly invited the people to vote en masse for the PDP in all the elections, pointing out that Atiku Abubakar has the capacity to restore Nigeria to the path of prosperity.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the rally at the Tomatoes Market ground in Pankshin, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Caleb Mutfwang appreciated the people of Plateau Central zone for turning out in multitudes to behold in the rally, and for preferring the Party, and assured of an all-inclusive government with adequate representation of women and youth if elected to power.
In a related development, the PDP governorship candidate, Caleb Mutfwang, has announced the suspension of all campaign activities forthwith in honour of victims of a motor accident involving Party supporters and faithful near Panyam Bridge in Mangu, on their way back from the Party’s rally in Pankshin.
