Plateau APC Primaries: Group vows to kicked against plan imposition of candidate in Kanke LGC

Plateau APC Primaries:  Group vows to kicked against plan imposition of candidate in Kanke LGC

Group under the auspices of John Goldana Campaign Organization (JGCO) has  vow to vehemently kicked against plan imposition of candidate in forthcoming Local Government election in Kanke LGC. 

The leader of the group Hon. Zumji Lazarus made this known to media men in Jos the Plateau State capital in a press conference. 

Hon. Lazarus stated that It has become imperative for them to address this Press Conference at this auspicious time of the nascent Democracy. 

He said, they have been compelled to address the Press following the recent Primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in respect of the forth coming Local Government Elections which cannot be said to be credible and transparent in most of the State Electoral Wards in the State. 

He further revealed that their concern is the recent process adapted for the Primaries for Kanke LGA Chairmanship Candidate. As far as they are concerned, the process is a complete charade and a rape on democracy and its read as follows: 

JOHN GOLDANA CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION (JGCO)

Kwal, Kanke LGA

THE RAPE OF DEMOCRACY IN KANKE LGA:

BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE BY JOHN GOLDANA CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION HELD ON 30TH JUNE, 2021 IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE  

1. It has become imperative for us to address this Press Conference at this auspicious time of our nascent Democracy. We have been compelled to address the Press following the recent Primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in respect of the forth coming Local Government Elections which cannot be said to be credible and transparent in most of the State Electoral Wards in the State. Our concern is the recent process adapted for the Primaries for Kanke LGA Chairmanship Candidate. As far as we are concerned, the process is a complete charade and a rape on democracy. 

2. It would be recalled that, just like in other LGA’s, a 20-Man Committee was set up by the Party to parley with Chairmanship Aspirants from Kanke with a view to coming up with 3 Consensus Candidates as stipulated in the Party Guidelines. 

The Committee met between 13th – 14th June 2021 and interfaced with the 9 Aspirants but no Consensus was arrived at as all the Aspirants said that they would prefer to go for Primaries and promising that they would cooperate with whoever emerged as the Chairmanship Candidate. The Report of the Committee was subsequently forwarded to the Party on the 15th June 2021 recommending direct Primaries for all the 9 Aspirants in line with the APC Constitution.

3. Between 23rd -24th June 2021, Primary Elections for Chairmanship and Councillorship Aspirants were conducted in some Wards across the State. In Kanke LGA, Elections were conducted in 5 Electoral Wards, namely, Nemel, Somji, Tabulung, Seri and Shiwer. The total results collated from these Wards are as follows:

i. John B. Goldana --------------- 1,165 

ii. Dr. Koptong G. Bangs -------- 775 

iii. Goladi R. Wakyilla ------------ 426

iv. Shipi Gontul -------------------- 221 

v. Hon. Luka Vengji --------------- 178 

vi. Emmanuel D. Jankawa -------- 174 

vii. Wilson Gogwim ----------------- 104 

viii. Henry Jan Gotip ----------------- 17 

ix. Dr. Simon N. Deshi -------------- Nill

It is clear from the above results that our Aspirant, Mr John Goldana has the highest number of Votes cast. 

4. On the 27th June, 2021, the Field and Operations Sub-Committee of the Main Election Planning Committee summoned the 9 Aspirants and after discussions, they agreed that the Party could use whatever criteria it deemed appropriate to select any of them as the Chairmanship Candidate for Kanke and that they were ready to cooperate with whoever was selected. They also stated that appropriate refund in respect of Nomination Form should be refunded to the remaining 8 Aspirants.

5. However, events took a different turn on the 29th June, 2021 when the Aspirants were urgently summoned at the Government Lodge and informed that the Primaries would be conducted between and among themselves. Some of the Aspirants were taken aback as this was against their earlier decision. At the end, they were cajoled into voting within themselves with the following emerging in the 1st and 2nd positions: 

Henry Jan Gotip ------------------ 4 Votes 

 John Goldana --------------------- 3 Votes 

This process allowed the Aspirants to Vote for themselves. The two names would be forwarded to the Governor to select one as the Candidate for Kanke LGA. This is suspect as two names should have been picked from the first two Aspirants who got the highest votes in the election of 24th June, 2021 i.e John Goldana and Dr. Koptong G. Bangs. How can the votes of 9 Aspirants be more significant than the votes of over 3,000 voters? 

6. We see this process of selection as fraud with danger and is inimical to the Party’s success at the Polls. The clique which is perpetrating this illegal act claim they are acting on the instruction of the Governor who is the Leader of the Party. We do not want to believe this story for it is clear that political interests and pecuniary benefits have come into play in the whole process. It is indeed an Agenda which is being masterminded by a minority group for 2023. Their Mission is to ensure that the most popular candidate is relegated to the background as he is not in tune with their political Agenda. 

7. While the official announcement is yet to be made from the appropriate Quarters, the Social Media is awash with stories and Congratulatory Messages that one Henry Gotip had won the Primaries. This is fraudulent and not acceptable to us. Our resolve is to ensure that the right thing is done to ensure that people’s votes count during Elections. We believe in the unity and cohesion of our great Party. We also believe in internal democracy within the Party as we look towards our Party winning the Local Government Elections in October 2021 as well the 2023 General Elections. We are therefore calling on the Governor who is the Leader of the Party to ensure that justice is not only done but should be seen to be done in the process of coming up with a credible Chairmanship Candidate. 

Finally, we seize this opportunity to sincerely thank our teeming supporters for their unwavering support and encouragement. We assure you that your Votes and support shall never be in vain.   

Thank you for your attention.  

Hon. Zumji Lazarus 

Director General 

(John Goldana Campaign Organization) 

30/06/2021