Wike/Ayu feud polarises PDP in Plateau

Published by

3 years ago

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level has started taking its toll on the Plateau State chapter of the party as a group of stakeholders disown the former governor of the state, Jonah Jang, for joining forces with the Governor of River State, Nysom Wike, who is demanding the National Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorcha Ayu to resign.

This is as the former Governor, Senator Jonah Jang maintained that the resignation of Dr Iyorcha Ayu as the National Chairman of PDP will pave the way for the resolution of the crisis and set the party on the path to winning the 2023 presidential elections.

According to a statement by a group “Plateau for Atiku” signed by its protem chairman,

Professor Shedrach Best said Senator Jang who is the party leader in the state did not consult the party stakeholders in the state before joining the calls for Ayu’s resignation.

He said neither the Party nor the stakeholders authorised any such position, adding that what the former Governor said was his personal opinion and that of the group he represents.

The group frowned at the former Governor’s penchant for making statements that are not in tune with other stakeholders of the party in the state.

“Our former governor, Sen Dr Jonah Jang has made remarks contrary to the position of the stakeholders and it’s time we make clarifications. We dissociate ourselves from the position of the former governor. He did not speak for us nor did he for the party in the state. We stand by the Presidential candidate of the PDP”.

In a swift reaction, Governor Jonah Jang in a Statement signed by his Media Consultant, Clinton Garuba pointed out that Jang and other prominent members of the party have been with Governor Nyesom Wike in the fight to entrench truth, equity and the need to give all members a sense of belonging, adding that it was for the purpose of moving the party forward and leading it to victory at the polls.

“Those who have followed Jang closely will attest to the consistent history of Jang as it relates to truth and fairness, such that as a sitting Governor, he once challenged a sitting President of Nigeria who was also a member of the same political party ( PDP) in court. Prof. Best of all people should know that in pursuit of truth, Jang is always prepared to tow the lonely path”.

The statement further depicted several calls have been made to the party to salvage the situation and resolve the issues arising from the outcome of the presidential primaries but it seems all calls fell on deaf ears adding that instead of reinforcing the call on the leadership of the party to do the right thing, it is unfortunate that the so-called unknown stakeholders are seeking for relevance by using the name of Senator Jang as a launching path.

It pointed out that they could go ahead with supporting former Vice President Atiku Abubaker without dragging Senator Jang into their journey to infamy.

“They should make no mistake either, about the fact that Senator Jonah Jang does not have anything personal against His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar as those in this journey of infamy will recall that in 2019, mobilized his personal resources in support of Atiku despite the fact funds made available for the campaigns was in an attempt to ridicule Jang sent to the wrong persons.

‘Former Governor Jang has decided to go with the group that believes in the truth and is not surprised that this group of “stakeholders” is not in agreement with the path he has chosen. He did not envisage that everyone will agree with him but he is working based on his conviction that the truth must be told in the interest of the party.

“Every loyal party man or woman is indeed wishing for a peaceful resolution of the self-inflicted and avoidable internal crisis rocking the party and it is the belief of Jang that those who have the interest of the party at heart should insist that the right thing is done in order for the PDP to take its rightful place of pride as the only truly democratic party.”

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE