Aggrieved Plateau PDP Guber Aspirants Petition Abuja Over Flawed Primaries

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News From The State, Nigeria 2015 Election Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

From Agabus Pwanagba, Jos

Less than 48 hours after the Plateau State, PDP gubernatorial primary took place, 12 out of the 16 aspirants who contested, Wednesday petitioned the National Secretariat of the party, rejecting the outcome of the primary election.

Chairman-of-the-Senate-Committee-on-Drugs-Narcotics and Financial-Crimes Victor Lar

Addressing journalists in Jos, the State capital, the aspirants contended that the process was flawed and highly undemocratic, as well as failed to conform with the electoral law.

They added that, they may not predict the outcome of the general elections if the election that produced Senator Gyang Pwajok, as the party’s governorship candidate was not rectified.

Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun and other aspirants, like Dr. Haruna Dabin, Professor Sonny Tyoden, Chris Bature, Engr. Jimmy Cheto, Mr. John Alkali and Senator Victor Lar; alleged that the outgoing Governor Jonah Jang, in his desire to entrench a dynasty expended huge sum of the State resources to ensure that his anointed candidate wins the primary election.

The aspirants complained that the delegates list was tampered with while the electoral committee refused to heed all complaints from them.

They also alleged that the accreditation process was violated as it was conducted at three different locations for each of the Senatorial zones different from the Rwang Pam stadium, the venue of the election.

While urging the appeal panel to jettison the result for the interest of the party, the aspirants also alleged that time for the accreditation was well beyond the stipulated time, allowing the government to manipulate the entire process for its candidate.

They added that the whole venue was filled with thugs who intimidated perceived enemies of the government, especially aspirants and delegates, then denied their rights to privacy to cast votes freely.

“At the centre of this brewing crisis is the unwholesome and an ungodly desire by the outgoing governor – Dr. Jonah Jang – who, in a brutish manner is attempting to install a successor, which by implication will mean enthroned a family and a tribal oligarchy which will establish a perpetuate Jang dynasty.

“What is strongly alleged throughout the venues for the primaries was the amount that were expended by candidates sponsored by government while pastoral emoluments of civil servants have not been paid for months and business of governance has virtually been grounded” the aggrieved candidates stressed.

They expressed worry that the situation may plunge the state into a major crisis of identity, calling on the leadership to halt what they described as anarchy.

In the same vein, Senator Victor Lar called for total cancellation of the primaries stressing that other aspirants did not know the number of delegates that voted.