By Taye Obateru
Jos—Former Minister of State for Information and Communications and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Plateau State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, has said conducting fresh a congress to elect new officials was the only way out of the crisis within the party in the state.

He told journalists in a chat that the party had no option but to abide by the instruction of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which listed Plateau among the eight states where congresses of the party were not properly conducted.

He faulted the decision of Governor Jonah Jang to appoint another chairman for the party under the so called harmonisation arrangement which contradicted INEC’s stand on the issue.

Nakande, who is a senatorial aspirant on the platform of the PDP, wondered why the governor was shying away from fresh congresses when it was clear that there was no alternative. He challenged the governor to test his popularity.

Dasuki said: “I don’t know why Jang is afraid of fresh congresses if he is claiming to have performed and to be very popular.

“Let him test his popularity because all the contraptions he is putting together as executive of the party cannot work.”

He expressed confidence to win the primaries and then go ahead to win the election under a free and fair atmosphere, and urged INEC and security agencies to ensure that the elections reflect the true desires of the electorate.

The former Minister said his support base cuts across the various local governments constituting Plateau North Senatorial District and promised to make a difference if he gets elected.

He said implementation of the report of the Abisoye Panel and that of the Solomon Lar-led Advisory Committee would go a long way in solving the frequent crisis in the state.

He also appealed to well-meaning citizens of the state to work for peace and unity.