Zoning takes centre stage as succession battle begins in Plateau for APC, PDP

In states where governors are on their second term, the battle over who succeeds them is being fought with massive joules of energy. The texture of the succession game is no different in the North-Central Plateau State where 32 governorship aspirants are plotting to succeed Governor Simon Lalong from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Visitors to Jos, the state capital as well as strategic places in the state are left in doubt that the season of politics has kicked in. While billboards advertising the aspirants dot the skyline, walls are practically festooned with posters of the jostling to win the tickets of the two major parties in the politics of the state.

From among them, there are pretenders as well as contenders to the throne. The costs of nomination forms in both parties, particularly in APC which is pegged at N50m, will serve as the first sieve in separating men from boys.

The jostling for the tickets of the two parties is coming on the heels of the state’s unique zoning arrangement which has been observed since the return of civil rule in 1999. So sacrosanct is it that the people, especially the political class, adhere to it like a religion.

At the restoration of democracy in 1999, the governorship slot was zoned to the Plateau Central District and Senator Joshua Dariye was elected governor of the state. He served for two consecutive terms of eight years. After him, the position was zoned to Plateau North in 2007 where Senator Jonah Jang, who clinched the ticket and won election as governor, was in the saddle also for two terms.

But an attempt by Governor Jang to circumvent the unwritten zoning arrangement backfired, leading to the loss of the state by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Jang had moved to install a successor from his senatorial district in violation of the zoning principle. The decision was met with stiff resistance from all parts of the state, including the people of Plateau North which would have benefitted from the decision. The protest votes that followed led to the victory Lalong from the southern part of the state.

As the 2023 election is fast approaching, there has been no controversy over which zone will produce the next governor. All the major and minor stakeholders in the politics of the state appear to be zeroing in on Plateau Central to take its turn in the governorship of the state. Consequently, all the aspirants in all the political parties are from the zone.

The state chairman of the APC, Honourable Rufus Bature in an interview on the subject declared that “In Plateau, there is no any written agreement, but there is the understanding that it should rotate among the three senatorial zones in the state.

“An attempt to jettison it was massively resisted in 2015. So, any party that wants to win must adhere to this understanding,” he said. What is the lay of the land in the two major parties as far as the succession battle is concerned?

 

PDP: once bitten, twice shy?

Sunday Tribune findings revealed that no fewer than 18 aspirants have purchased nomination forms to vie for the ticket of the party. They are former Minister of State for External Affairs Ambassador Bagudu Hirse; General John Sura (retd), Mr Jatau Satu; Jonathan Sunday Akuno,  Nde Dauda Gotring, Honourble Timothy Golu; Jerry Gushop; Professor Shedrach Best; Dr Alfred Daniyal; Nazadu Daser Bako; Nde David Paradang; Dr Dipak Shawarapshaka; Alex Ladan; Timothy Nantong; Latep Dabang; Caleb Muftwang; Jonathan Aminu; and Vincent Nanle.

The aspirants have been busy engaging delegates on why they should be given the ticket. Though the PDP in the state was recently polarised along the former governor Jang and the former FCT minister Senator Jeremiah Usieni, the crisis was recently laid to rest through the intervention of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

Currently, there has been relative stability in the party. The party’s structure is firmly in the hands of Senator Jang whom many believe holds the ace as far as the party’s gubernatorial primary is concerned. He has considerable influence in the party. Checks revealed that most of the state executive members of the party down to the local government level are mainly allies of the former governor.

Sunday Tribune findings revealed that there are some of the aspirants who are already looking beyond Plateau to push their ambition through, and some of them are said to be sponsored by some of the presidential aspirants in the party.

Though some socio-cultural organisations in the central zone are pushing for a consensus candidate, the party might not key into this arrangement to avoid possible implosion ahead of 2023 elections. The state executive members of the party and other stakeholders, it was gathered, are being careful to avoid a controversy that might likely jeopardise the chance of the party winning the governorship election.

From all indications, the leader of the party Senator Jang appears to be standing aloof and probably keeping his plan to his chest. A source close to the party revealed that he is maintaining a distance now to avoid the 2015 pitfall that led to the party losing the governorship election.

A stalwart of the party Honourable Emmanuel Goar said the party has learnt from its mistakes and is well-prepared to return the state to the PDP. “I can tell you now that there is no crisis in Plateau PDP. We are one and the candidate of the party will emerge without any rancour. Therefore, APC should be ready to pack its load, Plateau still remains a PDP state,” he said

 

APC and the burden of succession

There are strong indications that the race for the ticket is more fierce on the platform of APC based on the number of aspirants that have indicated interest so far. At the last count, there are close to 15 of them who have thrown their hat into the ring. But political observers in the state are of the opinion that the number of aspirants might shrink before the primary based on the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms pegged at N50 million.

Some of the front liners are Dr Patrick Dakum; Mr Sunday Biggs; Professor Sonie Tyoden; Dr Nentawe Yilwatda; Nde David Victor Dimka, Professor Dakas .C. Dakas; Nde Hezekiah Dimka; Dr Danyaro Sapiya; Mr Pukat Shehu Barde; Chief Garba Pwul (SAN); Chief Amos Gizo; Kizito Gukas, Pukat Barde.

Virtually all the aspirants have been claiming to have received the blessing of Governor Simon Lalong and they have been outdoing one another in dropping the name of the governor. Apart from this, the cabinet seems divided and the centre unable to hold cannot over the large number the contestants. Unlike other states where all political officeholders queue behind their principals to support a particular candidate, the reverse is the case on the Plateau.

Governor Lalong, while addressing an APC stakeholders meeting in Jos recently, debunked the insinuation he has endorsed or anointed any of the aspirants for governorship or any other position for the purpose of 2023 elections.

“I have not adopted or anointed any aspirant for governor or any other office. While very suitable members of our party have indicated interest to vie for different offices, we are carrying out consultations with all key stakeholders to ensure that at the end of the day, the best persons emerge to fly our party’s flag.

“When such time comes, we will make it public and not hide it. I am praying that God will guide all of us to make a choice that is in the best interest of the people and our state and nation.” He said.

The chief executive officer of the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) and Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States, Dr Patrick Dakum, who is also an aspirant, corroborated this recently when he declared that Governor Lalong is yet to declare anybody as his anointed candidate.

Sunday Tribune findings showed that members of the executive members of the party are split among the various aspirants, though analysts say the perceived confusion is a gimmick to bamboozle some aspirants to pave the way for anointed candidate.

Those who have been watching the trend of political events on the Plateau say it is a wrong assumption that the governor is not interested in who succeeds him in 2023. They add that the governor at the appropriate time will come out to announce his successor, more so that the party’s structure is fully in his control.

Other stalwarts who would have challenged his grip on the party such as the deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Idris Wase, Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen and others are governor’s allies.

 

Senator Joshua Dariye’s influence

The recent release of a former governor of the state, Senator Joshua Dariye, might alter the political equation within APC, especially on who grabs the party ticket for the governorship race.

Dariye was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, but was last week pardoned by the National Council of State. Before his travails, he had enormous influence in the party and politics of Plateau State, hence the appellation ‘Head boy’ within the fold of the APC family.

It may interest people to know that virtually all the principals in the current administration are Dariye’s men and women and members of his political family. Governor Lalong was the speaker of the state House of Assembly when Dariye was the governor. Apart from this, he was one of his ardent loyalists that took several bullets on his behalf. The Chief of Staff, Mr Noel Donjul, was Dariye’s commissioner of works; the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Danladi Atu was chairman, Jos North Local Government Area, while there are commissioners and other political appointees who could be termed as Dariye boys.

Sunday Tribune learnt that Dariye was always in constant touch with his base, even while in prison and was offering advice on complicated political issues and held the group together.

Observers are keen to see what role Dariye will play in the emergence of the APC guber candidate, as folding his arms while his predecessor makes the decision is not considered a possibility, given his enormous influence in the party and the state. Some analysts foresee a political clash between the incumbent governor and his boss, if the latter shows interest in who picks the ticket.

More so, there are insinuations that the political family is scheming to ensure that one of the members of the family succeeds the incumbent governor to prevent the dynasty from going into oblivion.

The outcome of the primaries in APC will determine the direction of both parties during the governorship election.