PDP GRAND DECEPTION IN SHENDAM, RECEIVES 17K DECAMPEES IN A FACILITY THAT CAN'T ACCOMMODATE 10K

PDP GRAND DECEPTION IN SHENDAM, RECEIVES 17K DECAMPEES IN A FACILITY THAT CAN'T ACCOMMODATE 10K  

The Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State, yesterday held what it termed its zonal rally ìn Shendam as part of its desperate attempt to recapture power in the state at this year's general elections.

Statement made available to this medium and was signed by Hon. Sylvanus Namang, 

 APC State Publicity Secretary stated that there was so  much hype and all sorts of propaganda about the event which came and passed leaving watchers of political events with more questions than answers. 

 The choice of Shendam was ostensibly done with the sole aim of giving the impression to the public that the party is more popular even in the Governor's home local goverment. 

 We must say from the onset that the party failed woefully in its calculation thus this most publicised rally can best be described as a misadventure for several reasons.

  A release this morning from the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the confused and wordy Atiku- Okowa, Mutfwang- Piyo Campaign Council claimed that it received over 17 000 decampees from the APC at the rally which was populated by angry looking folks. They are necessarily angry as the party has failed to come out of its internal leadership  crises few weeks to the  general elections.

 They did not see credible leaders and founding fathers of the party like Sir Fidelis Tapgun, a former governor of the state, former Ambassador and  former Minister and Hon. D. T. Sango,  a former Miniter of the Federal Republic and immediate past Chairman of the party in the state at the rally. Senator Jeremiah Useni,  its 2019 gubernatorial candidate and a well respected leader of the party  was conspicuously absent at the event held in his zone!

 They mentioned the triumphant entrance of Senator Jonah Jang and the presence of octogenarian Ambassador Yahaya Kwande who are working at cross purposes. 

 While Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, a close ally of the party's Presidential candidate went there to solely protect Waziri Atiku Abubakar's interest, former governor Jonah Jang who has sworn not to have anything to do with Atiku  and who had disclaimed the gubernatorial candidate he single handedly  anointed for not following him in supporting the G- 5 integrity PDP Governors led by Rivers State Nyesom Wike,  was there as an ally of Hon. Beni Lar, a three term Member of Federal House of Representatives and AVM Napoleon Bali Rtd his protégé in the Air Force and the party's Senatorial candidate for  the southern Senatorial District. 

 The faction and divergent interests in the party have refused to die. So the supporters have every reason to be hapless. 

 Furthermore, how many of the aspirants who contested with Barrister Caleb Mutfwang accompanied him to the Zonal rally as a true mark of solidarity and indication that all is well with the party?

 On the 17 000 decampees it claimed it received which 5 000 are purportedly from Shendam local goverment alone,  Governor Simon Bako Lalong's Local Government, out of the six local goverments in the zone, this is laughable and can be simply  dismissed with a wave of the hand.

 The PDP in the state has a penchant for quoting bogus figures when it comes to painting picture of  decampees. The Shendam mini stadium has a capacity of less than 10 000 people.  If 17 000 were decampees alone,  how could a stadium with such capacity accommodate them apart from other party members? Unless the media handlers of the PDP campaign council wants us to believe that everyone who attended the water- testing rally  is a decampee who were packed as sadine, this figure is anything but realistic. 

 Also how could the party receive such number of decampees without a mention of a single name of its leaders from at least each of the six local governments? This is merely a grand deception. 

 The APC is least bothered by this claim by the PDP as no discerning  APC member in the state would embark on such political suicide of moving into a  sinking political ship.

 The APC, unlike the PDP in the state and nation has remained cohesive, united and ready to go into the coming general election to win and not to attempt as the PDP wants to do.

 To be sure, for the PDP in the state to re-establish its bearing in the midst of its intra party feud, that would be a matter for post 2023 elections. 

The APC hereby,  empathises with the PDP over the motor accident which the vehicle conveying its supporters to the Shendam rally  occured around Bisichi area near Jos yesterday. 

 We wish those injured speedy recovery and healing.