Plateau PDP Dares APC, Vows To Win State’s Guber Poll

From Agabus Pwanagba, Jos – As the gubernatorial draw closer, the Plateau State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says despite the gang up of the oppositions All Progressives Congress ( APC), Labour Party (LP) and the Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP), yet, they cannot claim to having strong grip of the North central State, to guarantee them success in the Saturday polls.

In a press statement signed by the State’s PDP Spokesperson, Clinton Garuba and made available to AFRICAN EXAMINER ONLINE Tuesday in Jos the State Capital.

The party said: “Our attention has been drawn to a press Conference by the APC in Plateau State, in which the Party made some spurious allegations concerning the forthcoming governorship elections in the State.

“These allegations, which is part of a grand strategy by the APC as evidenced in another Press Conference by the Redemption Integrity Group and last minute cross carpeting of the governorship candidates of LP as well as that of the MPPP Amb. Bagudu Hirse and Mrs. Elizabeth Yirse are all bound to fail as always.

“The APC as a party has not told Plateau people what it has in store for them; they have only struggled to whip up sentiments built on sectionalism, divisiveness and related issues with a view to winning some sympathy. It stressed.

It also pointed out: “As a drowning party filled with PDP’s yesterday men whose pursuit of selfish and personal interest could not find accommodation in the PDP, it is only a matter of time before their greed will manifest.

“The party is already crying foul and calling for the removal of an INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner with whom they saw nothing wrong, when the APC got over 400,000 votes in Plateau State during the Presidential polls (the first ever by an opposition) but have turned around seeing to seek his removal seeing that defeat stares them in the face”.

The statement maintained “It is not strange to hear the APC and its mercenaries play the same tune of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner being compromised by the PDP because these same people began to fight him on assumption of duty to Plateau State.

“The APC cannot be an arbiter in matter that affects it neither can it be the player and referee at the same time.

“INEC knows how to do what it is empowered to do by the constitution and to begin to seek to play the role of INEC is in clear contravention of the rules of the game. Not surprising though INEC must take the fall for the failure of the APC in the governorship election this weekend.

PDP added that the call that some security agents should not be used “is laughable” saying, the Presidential election was held in a peaceful manner owing to the presence of security personnel, so to say they should be withdrawn at this time, “is the height of irresponsibility”.

“The Government has assured the people of its readiness to protect the life and property and has not in any way abdicated that responsibility to the APC, the party should therefore try to convince voters rather than seek to castigate and malign others, just to score cheap political points.

“The PDP is well rooted in Plateau State as it has been shown in the emergence of 3 Senators and 6 House of Representative Members, one therefore wonders which APC strongholds are referred to in Plateau State.

“If the APC Governorship candidate could not win his polling unit/ward for the APC Presidential candidate in the last election, we are at a lost as to which areas the party is imagining to be its stronghold. The ruling PDP stressed.

“We insist that the PDP governorship candidate has the entire state as his stronghold because of his well-articulated plans to move the state forward, anchored on the indivisibility of the state and the togetherness of a people whose aspirations are to see to the growth development on the state.

This PDP contended was an excellent aspiration that must not be sacrifice to satisfy the whims of a few people who did not wish Plateau Sate well.

Meanwhile, barely four days to the gubernatorial and state assembly polls, the LP and MPPP Governorship candidates, Amb. Bagudu Hirse and Mrs. Elizabeth Yirse respectively in the State have thrown their weight behind to the APC counterpart, Barrister Simon Lalong.

The two candidates made their declarations at a joint Press Conference held in Jos Tuesday, explaining that the new marriage was informed out of passion and desire to contribute to the strong democratic process and unite the people of the State.

Amb. Hirse, said, “It will be fool hardy for any politician to see the strong wind of change blowing across the country and go against it.

“As an apostle of fairness, justice and power rotation, I declare to lend my support to Barr. Simon Lalong because it is the time for the southern senatorial zone to produce the next governor in Plateau state, irrespective of the party.

“Supporting Barrister Simon Lalong will to an end the Tyrany and bad governance in Plateau state and I called on my supporters to Vote Massively for Bar. Simon Lalong of the APC on the Saturday, 11th, April, 2015 election in order to engender good governance and sustainable democracy in Plateau State.

”This declaration, I strongly believe will finally put to rest that cheap black mail that I was sponsored to play the role of a spoiler. The originators of that blackmail must by now, be hiding their heads in shame.

Hirse berated the PDP administration in the State, stressing that in the past 8 years it has just very little to show.

He used the occasion to commend the President – Elect, General Mohammed Buhari (rted) for his victory at the polls as well as President Goodluck Jonathan for exhibiting spirit of sportsmanship by conceding defeat.