Plateau PDP in fresh crisis over Deputy Governorship Candidate selection.

Plateau PDP in fresh crisis over Deputy Governorship Candidate selection.

The crisis in the opposition People's Democratic Party PDP in Plateau State, seems to have taking a new dimension, as group of five persons namely 

Hon. Gideon Chung, Hon. Gabriel Mabas, Alh. Mohammed Dalma, Hon. Obadiah Pam Boss, Mr. Joshua Kele has petition the National Secretariat of the Party over the nomination of Hon. Mrs Josephine Piyo as the 2023 Deputy Governorship running mate of Brr. Caleb Mutfwang. 

The petition made available to this medium stated that " We write with extreme burden in our heart to draw your attention to the eminent danger ahead of the choice of MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO as the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party Plateau State and the need to take immediate and urgent steps by reversing the nomination in the interest of the party and our winning chance".

It also stated that, "It will be recalled that since 2015 the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State have lost power as a result of avoidable mistakes in decision making especially due to selections of either Gubernatorial Candidates or running mates". 

They further revealed that, "We are afraid that we are about to repeat History by making a worse mistake than the one made in 2015 and 2019 by the Nomination of MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO as a running mate to CALEB MUTFWANG for the following reasons as follows: 

1st,June 2022

The National Chairman 

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

Wadata House/Plaza

Zone 5 Wuse

FCT Abuja

Sir,

PROTEST/PETITION ON THE NOMINATION OF MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO AS RUNNING

MATETO BARR. CALEB MUTFWANG/DEPUTY GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP)PLATEAU STATE

We write with extreme burden in our heart to draw your attention to the eminent danger ahead of the choice of MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO as the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party Plateau State and the need to take immediate and urgent steps by reversing the nomination in the interest of the party and our winning chance.

It will be recalled that since 2015 the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State have lost power as a result of avoidable mistakes in decision making especially due to selections of either Gubernatorial Candidates or running mates. 

We are afraid that we are about to repeat History by making a worse mistake than the one made in 2015 and 2019 by the Nomination of MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO as a running mate to CALEB MUTFWANG for the following reasons:

1. We are in opposition party and there is every need to ensure that our candidates (the Gubernatorial and Deputy Gubernatorial)are not just popular and best, but very popular and acceptable to all the political blocks within the party, it is on record that the sharp division within the party gave birth to some prominent grouping which includes Sen,Gen Jeremiah Useini block,H.E Sen Jonah Jang block,H.E Sir Fidelis Tapgun block,

The block led by Sen Jonah Jang produce the Gubernatorial Candidate in person of Bar Caleb Mutfwang, expectedly for the party to move in unity and have clean campaigns leading to victory the Sen Gen Jeremiah Useni or H.E Sir Fidelis Tapgun block to produce the Deputy Gubernatorial Candidate to which non happen as the Sen Jonah Jang block produce both the Gubernatorial and Deputy Gubernatorial candidate a situation that has created bad feelings and threatening the cohesion and inclusiveness of the party.

We cannot afford to give anything less and expect to win,

2. There are serious agitations by the Youths and people of Plateau State to give opportunity to the Youths to participate in Governance and taking into consideration the fact that the candidate of the Ruling APC,DR. NENTAWE GOSHWE YILWATDA is Younger than our candidate CALEB MUTFWANG and DR. YILWATDA is rumoured to be working towards picking a Younger person as a running mate which will place the APC in a more vintage position compared with our party, while our Gubernatorial candidate is above 60years the Deputy nominee MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO is already 70years old, this scenario has left several people in the state in dilemma to weather our party is really ready for governance if we emerged victorious and this has created a picture of unseriousness from the part of our party.

3. Both CALEB MUTFWANG and MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO were Chairmen of Local Governments at the same time and members of the 2014 College of ALGON under Jonah Jang and this has raised very serious criticisms by other political blocks who are already feeling sidelined by the present arrangements/permutations.

4. There has been religious and interdinominational balancing in the choice of elective Offices in Plateau State, former Governor Joshua Dariye of COCIN denomination pick Late Micheal Botmang from Catholic church and former Governor Jonah JANG of COCIN denomination pick Mrs Pauline Tallen of Catholic faith as his Deputy in the first tenure and later pick Late Ignatius Longjang of Catholic faith, in fact in 2019 when Sen. Jeremiah Useni emerged from COCIN extraction he pick Late Dr James Dalok as running mate from same COCIN Church which left PDP defeated in the election of 2019 and many can attest to that the present Gubernatorial Candidate Bar Caleb Mutfwang is of COCIN denomination and has pick MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO of same COCIN Church as running mate, there are deep and aggressive agitations that the running mate should be a Catholic or other denomination since the candidate is a Protestant. Recall that this mistake was made in 2015 and repeated same in 2019 and the results were terrible. We cannot afford to repeat the same mistake in 2023 while seating and expecting a different result.

5. There was no wide and proper consultation with Major and Critical Stakeholders like H.E Fidelis Tapgun, Gen. J.T Useni, Hon. Raymond Dabo, Hon. Damishi Sango, Chief M I Azi and other critical Stakeholders before presenting the nominee.

6. On the day MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO was unveiled as the running mate to CALEB MUTFWANG at the State Party Secretariat on Tuesday the 22nd June, 2022, Youths within the Party Secretariat premises were Chanting “Bamu Sonta” (We do not want her) while virtually all the Party Major and Critical Stakeholders did not attend the expanded SEC meeting to demonstrate their displeasure with the decision.

7. MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO held from same Riyom Local Government Area where the candidate for Northern Senatorial Zone Hon Simon Mwadkon and the Vice Chairman Northern Zone PDP hails from, while Northern Zone has (6) six Local Government areas, this doesn't in anyway resemble fairness to other LGAs and the agitation and willingness by electorates to demonstrate their grievances at the polls is high at the moment.

8. There is a silence, calmness or quietness that is very worrisome from Partys’ Critical and Major Stakeholders across the State while there is open disenchantment, anger and bitterness openly expressed among the People of Jos North Local Government Area the most highly populated area in the Northern Zone and other LGAs, this should not be taken for granted.

9. The party should act fast in salvaging our party from self inflicted mistake by putting pressure on the PDP candidate to redress his steps and for the NWC to intervene in the lingering crises that has sharply divided the party against each other in Plateau State.

We have taken our time to write to you all this concerns because our failure to do so will mean a dereliction of duty on our part to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and we do not wish to live with such guilt.

Finally, we advise that you take immediate and necessary steps to reach out to the candidate (BARR CALEB MUTFWANG) to reverse the decision nominating MRS. JOSEPHINE PIYO as his running mate and allow the Party and Stakeholders to present the person they want as reflected on the formulas the party has use and won elections in the past.

Accept the assurances of our esteem Regards

Yours faithfully,

1. Hon. Gideon Chung___________________

2. Hon. Gabriel Mabas___________________

3. Alh. Mohammed Dalma________________

4. Hon. Obadiah Pam Boss_______________

5. Mr. Joshua Kele______________________

Cc: 

1.

Bar Caleb Mutfwang

PDP Gubernatorial Candidate Plateau State.

2.

Hon Theophilus Dakas Shan.

North Central PDP Vice Chairman.

3.

People's Democratic Party Plateau State.

4.

H.E Sir Fidelis Tapgun

Fmr ExecutiveGov Plateau State.

5.

H.E Sen Jonah JANG

Fmr Gov Plateau State.

6.

Sen.Gen Jeremiah Useini.

Fmr FCT Minister.

7.

Chief DT Sango.

Fmr Minister of Sports.

8.

Chief M.I Azi.

Fmr Minister of Industry.

9.

Sen I.D Gyang

National Assembly ABUJA/National Assembly Caccus.

10.

Hon Peter Gyendeng

Minority leader PLHA/Caccus.