We’ll not accept imposition of candidate, 18 Plateau APC guber aspirants blow hot

From Daniel Dauda, Jos

The forum of Plateau State governorship Aspirants numbered 18, under the platform of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), said they will not allow or agree with any form of imposition of candidate during the party primaries elections.

The forum blamed Governor Simon Lalong and other APC big-wig for trying to mastermind the imposition of Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as the APC candidate in Plateau against the wish of other aspirants.

Chairman and convener of the forum Chief Amos Gizo who raised the alarm alongside other 17 aspirants while addressing Journalists on Monday in Jos the State capital, said reliable information available in their disposal was that the 17 Local Government chairmen were been directed to support Nentawe.

According to Gizo, “looked like rumor but has been evident by the body language of the state Governor Simon Lalong with members of the first  family (wife and brothers), his father in-law, Mr. Cyril Tsenyil the accountant general of the state, Mr. Festus Fuanter the deputy national Secretary of APC anchored by the member representing Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam at the National Assembly Rt.Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi to subjugate the collective will of the members of APC by imposing a candidate on members of the party in the person of Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshen which is unacceptable to us.

“We all believe this act of subverting democracy has the express approval of the Governor just to deny the people’s choice and foist an unpopular candidate that will cause misfortune to the party as their preferred candidate he has just disengaged with INEC as Resident Electoral Commissioner and he is yet to get his membership right and has not totally disengagement with INEC.

“We all agreed that there should be no imposition of any kind and consensus will be done by the aspirants themselves.

“We all agreed that whoever emerges will have the blue print of other aspirants to be embedded into his manifestos and programs.

“We all agreed that delegates will emerge by either the consensus of the aspirants or elections must take place at the various designated wards and local government, and concurred list will be accepted.”

The 18 aspirants also insisted that as major stakeholders of the governorship primary, the party should ensure election must be held in all the 207 Federal wards to come up with the five delegates which two must be women.

They warned that, ” if the state party leadership allows  those bend on subverting our nascent democracy to thrive it shall put the state chapter into crisis and we the 18 aspirants have vowed and agreed to dump the party with our teaming supporters for any party of our choice.”

The 18 aspirants are; Chief Amos Gizo-chairman/Convener, Danyaro Dakon Sarpiya-secretary, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, Shem Damisa, Amb. Chief Yohanna Margif, Dr. Danlami Lengkop, Sen. Hezekiah Dimka, Compt. David Dimka, Mr. Geoffrey Yileng, Mr.Johnson Podar, Mr. Sunday Garba Biggs, Mr. Kizito Gukas, Mr.Sipak Shader, Mr. Shehu Barde Pukat,  Chief Garba Pwul SAN, Prof. Dakas C.J.Dakas, Dr. Fitka Steve and Dr. Patrick Sunday Dakum respectively.

You would recall about 21 aspirants in Plateau State are jostling to become the APC flag bearer in the primary election scheduled to hold soon.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@