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From Gyang Bere, Jos
A group within the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State,” APC Patriots” has warned the leadership of APC and the leader of the party in the State, Governor Simon Lalong to avoid the bait of imposing a governorship candidate on its members ahead of the 2023 election in the state.
It said the action would be a counterproductive that would reversed the fortune of the party in Plateau.
In a statement signed by its chairman Mark Ibrahim on Thursday said the alleged plan to impose the former Benue State Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr Nentawe Yiltwada on the party will be resisted.
Ibrahim said it will be disastrous to allow the imposition of an unpopular candidate whose membership of the party is uncertain to fly the party ticket ahead of the 2023 election.
He recalled the scenario that led to the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State in 2015 and said the same scenario is gradually been played out in the APC, saying it was obvious and glaring that PDP on the Plateau lost the governorship election to APC as a result of the imposition of candidate.
“The same scenario is gradually been played out. The politics of Plateau State should not be seen to be cyclical, the leadership must learn from the pitfall of PDP which led to the emergence of APC.
” Plateau abhors injustice in all its ramifications, the people of the state especially party members should not be taken for granted. We need to be consistent and steadfast, the party should be cautious not to dance to the tune of some overzealous and selfish politicians.
“All of us laboured to build the party on the Plateau, therefore foisting a candidate on the rest of the aspirants and the party will not only be a disservice but counterproductive in 2023. It may interest the party and members to know that the main opposition party, the PDP in the state has started jubilating over the alleged plan to impose an unpopular candidate on the party.
” We must learn from history and our past mistakes, the APC lost Bassa/Jos North House of Representatives re-run election recently to PDP because of imposition of candidate by the governor contrary to the wish and collective interest of the party. The protest vote was massive and government machinery could not withstand the pressure.
“We are running a disciplined and democratic party, the rule of law must prevail, and the collective interest of the party must not be jettisoned. The government’s preferred candidate is an overnight member of the party, his membership of the party is subject to investigation. We authoritatively learnt that there is a subterranean move to grant him a waiver to contest the governorship election in the state. The National leadership should investigate this to avoid any backlash at the end of the day.”
“The question on the lips of most party faithful is that when did he join the party? At what point did he register at his ward?. This should be investigated to ascertain his eligibility to contest the primary” said the group
According to the group, we are ready to liberate the party from the clutches of the oligarchy who believe in the politics of imposition and want to turn APC in Plateau State into their estate. For APC to win the 2023 governorship election, it must go with a popular candidate.
The group, therefore, called on the National leadership of the party to investigate the sudden membership of Dr Yiltwada and call on the leadership of the party in the state to order to avoid protest votes in 2023.
