By: Valentine Adese (JP),
Fresh and underlining facts have emerged, as the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), finally zoned its 2023 Governorship ticket to the Central Senatorial District.
Critical Stakeholders from REALITY findings across the state, have began quick moves to lobby for the ticket to be further microzoned to Pankshin/ Kanke/Kanam (PKK) Federal Constituency of Plateau State haven zoned it to Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency in 1999, which later produced former Governor, Joshua Chibi Dariye.
It is of note that, there is a strong unwritten agreement, that is well known to all Stakeholders in Plateau Central Senatorial District, which the people in PKK Federal Constituency of Plateau State had kept to their chest, while waiting for this zoning to take place.
It was therefore not a surprise that, as soon as, the State Executive Committee (SEC) endorsed the zoning yesterday (Saturday), swiftly, underlining permutations came up, which is x-raying the political reality on ground.
It is a fact on ground that, those who have already shown interest in the forthcoming 2023 Plateau State Governorship race are mostly from the Mwaghavul and Ngas ethnic groups of the zone, with few persons outside these major two.
The Mwaghavul people, who have registered the largest number of Aspirants in the forthcoming governorship race seems to have completely lost in this new permutation and may have been caught unprepared with the new developments and lobbying going on.
Records from the Central zone dogged out by REALITY, seems to show that, Plateau people are aware that, Mwaghavul people, joining hands with the people of Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA), as a Federal Constituency, have produced Sen. Dariye for Eight (8) years and currently, the incumbent Deputy Governor in the state, Prof Sonny Tyoden, who is also getting to 8 years in office.
However, while speaking with a section of critical PDP Stakeholders at the party office yesterday, after the decision to zone the 2023 governorship ticket to the Central zone of the state, many members expressed happiness with the unanimous decision, especially with PKK in mind this time around.
One of the members of the State Working Committee from the Northern zone, (name withheld), who spoke to REALITY said, “No doubt, this is the turn of PKK to produce the governor because, Mangu/ Bokkos have done it before. As Stakeholders and Delegates in the coming election, we must do the needful. This is the ongoing permutation. Presently, Mangu / Bokkos Federal Constituency has the highest number of governorship Aspirants. I don’t really know the reason behind this!
“If Mwaghavul people believe it’s because they have the majority in the Central zone, they may have been misleading themselves, as they are not more populated than the Ngas people.
“The Federal Constituency, which they belong to has produced Dariye and it’s only fair that, they respect the others for peace and stability.
“If we can all agree that, our northern Aspirants shelve their ambitions to support the Central zone, then it follows that PKK should be supported by all”.
Another strong former grass root legislator from the Southern zone, Hon. James Endem, corroborated this saying that,” We have been telling Mangu people to forget about this, but they believe they have money to sway things in their favour.
“There must be give and take to reflect the mood of the state. We have very strong contenders in PKK for the seat too! Therefore, there is no way we will give the governorship ticket to the Federal Constituency that has produced a governor and is presently holding on to the Deputy Governorship position in the state. It will not be fair, truly speaking!
“Even the current crisis in Mangu, which allegedly has polarized the Mwaghavul people as a result of a kangaroo primary that was boycotted by majority of the Aspirants from the constituency, speaks volumes.
“Curiously speaking, how can they have organized such an exercise in which some, who participated, had already picked forms to contest?
“The position is that, the party in the state has frowned at exercise and may suspend the Central Zone Vice Chairman, who allegedly organized it to favour his alleged mentor and benefactor.
“This is very primitive indeed and has brought minus to the consideration of a Mwaghavul Aspirant within the PDP in the race.
“In all, we are looking for someone from PKK Federal Constituency to balance our permutations and we have many of them”.
According to a serving LGA Chairman (name withheld), who spoke with REALITY, he stated that, “Mangu people erroneously believe it’s their birthright having come out in large numbers for the contest. We even heard that, they were pushing for a microzoning of the office to Mangu to make it look like a Mwaghavul affair. But, some of us reminded them that, it’s not a tribe by tribe thing, but a Constituency issue.
“You cannot have Sen. Dariye, from Bokkos (1999-2007) and Sonny Tyoden(2015-2023) and still want to lord it on PKK, which is yet to produce any.
“For your information, even in 2019 governorship contest in the state,if you can recall, Mwaghavul people took the position of Deputy Governor in the person of late Dr. Dalop in PDP.
“To my mind, that may have emboldened them to think that, they will get away with this again. But, from what I can see the other tribes are politically getting set to give them a huge run for their money.
“We may not talk much about the microzoning officially, but I assure you that, we have made up our minds for PKK. We must balance the equation.
“We must respect one another, It’s give and take! What reason(s) will Mwaghavul people give to get the support of the South and North, their money? No!
“They have about 15 Aspirants from their tribe alone and right now they are heavily in crisis. They have not reflected or shown the tolerance and respect the South and North gave to the Central zone. It will be sheer greed and selfishness to look down on others within the zone”.
Another Stakeholder from Bokkos said, “We are not supporting Mangu Aspirants for the governorship because, one of our own, Sen. Dariye and their own Tyoden have occupied these offices as Governor and Deputy Governor respectively. We are not the only ones in the zone.
“We must encourage one another and show the spirit of give and take.
“Even the large number of Mwaghavul Aspirants is discouraging!”
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