Why APC will win Plateau again
Given the context of the current political realities in Plateau State, one can say without fear of contradiction that Plateau is an APC State! A state that has the governor, top government officials, almost all the top politicians and all the chairmen of local governments from the APC cannot be denied its fair designation as […]
Given the context of the current political realities in Plateau State, one can say without fear of contradiction that Plateau is an APC State!
A state that has the governor, top government officials, almost all the top politicians and all the chairmen of local governments from the APC cannot be denied its fair designation as an APC state no matter who feels offended by that fact.
Going back to the three points I mentioned earlier, the proof that the PDP is living in the past is evident in the kind of analogue, reactionary and weather-beaten personalities it is presenting to the people of Plateau to elect as leaders at a time when ideas, adaptation to modern trends and dynamism rules the world.
Secondly, the PDP members have forgotten that those who made it possible for the party to win elections in the past have long left its fold leaving the party with political gamblers, tribal bigots and spent forces who cannot deliver beyond their cubicles.
It is a shame that the kind of persons our late father, Chief Solomon Lar due to his politics of emancipation and accommodation had attracted to the party had all been sent packing due to the high-handedness, lack of internal democracy and chauvinism of a few selfish individuals leading the PDP.
The leading lights of the party have all left, leaving behind a carcass without soul.
And thirdly, no society is static. Occurrences both internal and external can influence certain changes in the world view of communities and states. Yes, the people of Plateau voted for the PDP in the past but the same people have now realised that they had placed their hopes in the wrong boat and have since moved to the APC.
The point must be made that the PDP cannot be thinking of coming back to power when it has hardly shown remorse for its past misdeeds.
Many historical references abound to remind the PDP in Plateau that it cannot continue to rely on past records to beat its chest that it is the party of choice in Plateau as no party has been riddled with scuffle, strife and infighting and tendencies that promote injustice and favoritism while negating the fine principles of internal democracy like the PDP.
In 2007, the state chapter of the party was engulfed in deep crisis due to attempts to impose candidates which caused the schism leading to the exodus of quality leaders from the party.
People forget that a governorship aspirant had to kneel down on the bare floor of the Rwang Pam Stadium crying and praying before he was handed over the party’s governorship ticket in defiance of the party’s rules which states that a rerun must be conducted in case none of the aspirants scores up to 50 percent of the votes cast at the first ballot.
People thought that the party had learnt its lessons only for it to be torn by a worse crisis in the build up to the 2011 elections when the party was split into two, PDP 1 and PDP 2.
The worst came when a sitting deputy governor defied her principal to contest in the governorship election.
It was a clear indication of the injustice, despotism and lack of respect for the tenets of democracy that led to that.
As if the people have not had enough of that, a worse scenario happened in 2015 when against all logic and rules of fair play and equity, one man tried to lead the party by the nose and became deaf to reasoning, insisting that he must have his way on the party’s candidate making the party in the process to lose its state chairman, deputy governor and other prominent and the few respected members of the party that were left.
This is 2019 and the party seemed not to have learnt any lessons and is ready to disgrace itself again by carrying on like before.
It has forgotten that unlike the PDP, the progressive elements in the APC have maintained decorum and respect for one another and have ensured internal democracy and rule of law in the belief that it cannot offer the people what it does not have.
The APC has shown that it is the party of the people and one that listens to their yearnings and is willing to serve their interests.
The people have since realized this and have reciprocated the gesture by voting massively for it in the last local government elections.
Plateau is excited about seeing the party continue in power due to how it has mitigated conflicts and ensured peace within a short period of time, attracted development and notable projects to the state and the promise to do more.
The people are aware that Governor Simon Lalong has delivered on the five point policy thrust of his administration and has touched the lives of many, cutting across social boundaries.
Thousands of youths have been trained and given tools to be self-reliant. More than 1,151 persons living with disabilities have been given equipment and other aids to assist them. The Governor has passion for assisting the physically challenged, and that informs why even when he was Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, he passed into law the creation of the Disability Rights Commission and on coming to office, set up a commission with a DG to run it.
Governor Lalong in his humility has been able to bring the state together through initiatives and commitment to peace.
The people are tired of elements that have brought them scuffles and fights in the past. They don’t want to go back to despotic rule; they want a humble leader whose doors are open to all irrespective of tribe or faith. That is why the PDP will lose Plateau state in the forthcoming elections.
This is because the choices before them are clear- PDP represents their dark past while APC offers them renewed hope, sense of belonging and the enabling environment to excel.
Mr. Dati is the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Plateau State.