By: Valentine Adese (JP),
The Judiciary in Plateau State has been commended by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Aspirants in the state for striking out the Application for Joinder brought by Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda in the suit filed by “Prospective Delegates” of the party in the last Plateau APC primary elections.
The Spokesperson of the Aspirants, Mr. Johnson Podar, who doubles as a Board Member of the Federal University of Agriculture Zuru, had disclosed that, all the Aspirants would have sought to be joined too, if the application of Dr. Nentawe was granted.
You would recall that, the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos, the state capital, had thrown out the application of the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, who was seeking to be joined in the Suit filed by the party’s “Prospective Delegates” who are challenging their disenfranchisement in the delegates’ elections for gross incompetence and lacking in merit.
You would also recall that, while ruling on the Application filed by Nentawe, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice A. l. Ashoms, had stated that, the Applicant (Dr. Nentawe) cannot be a party to the suit because he is not being challenged by the Claimants. More so that he is not the political party, but a mere Candidate, who is just a product of the defendant (APC).
Justice Ashoms, further ruled that, the Motion he is seeking to be joined is not yet deemed by the court, and has no life in it as it is impossible to build something on nothing hence, “the application lack substantial merit”.
Reacting to the ruling, the Aspirants through their Spokesman, Mr. Johnson, commended the judiciary for keeping the hope of the common man in the country alive.
He said as a body, they will always encourage aggrieved members of the society to seek remedies from the courts.
In an exclusive interview with REALITY Mr. Johnson Podar, further disclosed that, the Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has continued to make frantic efforts to see that, some of the APC Aspirants in the state are not recognized at the Wards, State and Federal levels.
Podar said in part that, “Whether they recognize me or some of my members as Aspirants or not, our posters and stickers would prove our efforts in propagating our intentions in the 17 Local Government Areas and in all the nooks and grannies of the state.
“So, whoever is failing to see our efforts and contributions to the party is on his own free drive.
“By the special Grace of God, Mr. President has graciously appointed me as a Board Member of the Federal University of Agriculture Zuru.
“By virtue of all things, I am being recognized at the federal level by the appointment of Mr. President and it simply shows that, Mr. President recognizes his own!
“Almost all of us, who are in this struggle to make things right in the state APC, especially, concerning the governorship primary election, have gotten appointments, either in the PCC or in the Independent Campaign Council of the Presidential candidate, H.E Sen. Tinubu.
“So, those who are refusing to recognize us are myopic in their reasoning”.
READ THE FULL REACTION OF MR. JOHNSON PODAR BELOW:-
“I am Johnson Podar, I am one of the Aspirants. I contested for the APC gubernatorial candidate primary in Plateau State. They say we are just busy bodies because we did not buy the party form. This is unfortunate! We have signified our intentions formerly and they know that.
“Whether they recognize me or some of my members as Aspirants or not, our posters and stickers would prove our efforts in propagating our intentions in the 17 Local Government Areas and in all the nooks and grannies of the state.
“So, whoever is failing to see our efforts and contributions to the party is on his own free drive.
“By the special Grace of God, Mr. President has graciously appointed me as a Board Member of the Federal University of Agriculture Zuru.
“By virtue of all things, I am being recognized at the federal level by the appointment of Mr. President and it simply shows that, Mr. President recognizes his own!
“Almost all of us, who are in this struggle to make things right for the APC, especially, concerning the governorship primary, have gotten appointments either in the PCC or in the Independent Campaign Council of the Presidential candidate, H.E Sen. Tinubu.
“So, those who are refusing to recognize us are myopic in their reasoning.
“The party till date through the National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Hon. Faleke and others has constantly sought for our opinion and also send us necessary materials and information to help propel the party’s aims and objects to Nigerians, especially, to potential electorates. This is because, our recognition is solid and they know us as Plateau APC Governorship Aspirants.
“You would recall that, at a event in the state, all the Aspirants in unison had also adopted Sen. Tinubu for his credibility, for being a Pan-Nigerian and for his leadership qualities.
“For us, we believe we are not recognized in the state because the Governor wants everybody to be answerable to him and him alone.
“I am even socked to see that, the Governor is putting in more efforts to make sure we are not recognized. Just imaging when Mr. Pesident visited the state, all the Aspirants of the party in the state were not briefed, invited or official notified of the visit.
“The Governor does not even deem it fit to include us in any Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to receive the presidential candidate.
“It is very sad that, even as a Board Member of a Federal institution, I was not included!
“I learnt that, the Governor directed that we should not be recognized even at our various Wards.
“By the Grace of God, I am the Spokesperson of the APC Governorship Aspirants in Plateau State and all of us have gotten one appointment or the other from Mr. President, or the party’s presidential candidate.
“We are in support of the cases in Court with regards to the last APC primaries in the state because, it is the best civil approach in settling conflicts and we encourage this attitude. Nobody is above the Law and the Judiciary shall remain the last hope of the common Nigerian man!
“See, you must know that, all the Aspirants have their various forms for delegates. So, if the Court had agreed to join Dr. Nentawe, the assumed candidate, we all would have also sought for joinder and we would have come to prove that, there was no delegate election in the state at all!
“Let it be known that, the forms we have for delegates are original and we all bought it from the party.
“Please, how can somebody offer himself to serve and another person, who claims to be lord will come and overrule the person? Think about it!”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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