By Marie-Therese Nanlong

JOS – AS the headquarters of many Christian evangelistic missions it was not surprising that the outgoing governor of the state, Mr. Jonah Jang was repeatedly alleged to have claimed that God would decide his choice of a successor.

However, when Jang’s Man Friday, Senator Gyang Pwjok emerged many critics were quick to claim that Jang may have played god.

It is as such not surprising that Jang’s associates, including Mr. Moses Nathaniel, the director-general of the Jang Campaign Organisation these days likes to remind people that God decides who to crown at a time He desires. In that wise, Mr. Nathaniel’s counsel to political stakeholders is not to look at this weekend’s election as a do or die affair.

“Plateau people must take a cue from Mr. President Jonathan by exercising the spirit of sportsmanship even in defeat irrespective of our ambition bearing in mind that God decides whom to crown at a time He desires,” the man of God in politics asserted.

However, several are not waiting for God as the Jang crowd would want. In fact, they are revolting leading to what some now see as a conspiracy directed against Jang and Pwjok.

Two of the governorship candidates standing for this weekend’s election have now stepped down in favour of the more favoured opposition candidate, Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Pwajok

Those who stepped down were the Labour Party, LP candidate, Amb. Bagudu Hirse and the Mega Party candidate, Mrs. Elizabeth Yirse.

Speaking at a joint press briefing, Amb. Hirse and Mrs. Yirse said the decision was for the good of the state and based on the need for geopolitical balancing. It was the view of both former candidates that the decision of Mr. Jang to project Pwjok from the same ethnic Berom and northern senatorial zone as himself was a slap on many other ethnic groups in the state.

“There has been a deliberate attempt to re-write the history of Plateau state. It will be foolhardy for any politician to see the strong wind of change blowing across the country and going against it,” Hirse said as he stepped down for Lalong who is from the south, the region that has not produced a governor for the state since the Second Republic.

Also, a group of aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party, PDP members in Plateau State known as Reformed Peoples Democratic Party has urged party members to turn their back on Pwjok this Saturday.

The group comprising aggrieved PDP elders and stakeholders stated in a press statement signed by Amb. Ibrahim Kasai and Dalyop Choji claimed that voting Pwajok will amount to the promotion of nepotism, tribalism and imposition.

The statement reads, “As we prepare for the Governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for the 11th, April, 2015, we urge our members to shine their eyes and say no to the candidature of GNS Pwajok, who is a product of nepotism, tribalism and imposition.

“This is to resist any attempt to sacrifice our diversity on the cheap altar ego of any demagogue. The strength of our unity is in our diversity and we must use our votes to defend it.”

Lalong’s momentum has also been boosted by the endorsement from the forum of former members of the State House of Assembly in the state.

Briefing journalists after a closed door meeting with members of the group, the leader of the Forum, Maimako Bello stated that the support was based on the performances of the APC gubernatorial candidate during his tenure as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

However, the rebellion is not total as Pwjok continues to get support on his own.

The group, Information for Democracy and Development, IDD one of the numerous groups backing the PDP candidate say he stands a better chance to win next Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Plateau State based on a survey conducted by it.

A statement signed by its Coordinator, Joshua Yahaya, in a state-wide survey affirmed that Pwajok with acceptability and approval ratings of more than 70% showing him as the man to beat this weekend.

Mr. Clinton Garuba, Executive Assistant to Governor Jang, in his opinion affirmed that the gang-up of the APC with other parties will fail as the PDP is deeply rooted in the State and no Party can uproot the PDP in the state.

“The APC as a party has not told Plateau people what it has in store for them; they have only struggled to whip up sentiments built on sectionalism, divisiveness  and related issues with a view to winning some sympathy. As a drowning Party filled with PDP’s yesterday men whose pursuit of selfish and personal interest could not find accommodation in the PDP, it is only a matter of time before their greed will manifest.”

Battle for supremacy

As the battle for supremacy continues, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has been urged to remain an unbiased umpire and should not be seen to be partisan as alleged by the State APC Chairman, Mr. Latep Dabang who said the PDP was collaborating with the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Godwin Kwanga to rig the election in favour of the PDP.

Dabang, who accused the State REC of fraternizing with Governor Jang and the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Pwajok also stated his party has received reports that “some INEC sensitive materials such as the results sheets are being hawked to our opponents who have taken custody of same with a view to facilitating the planned rigging.

“We have uncovered a grand design aimed at using the INEC ad hoc staff especially Youth Corpers to demobilize the card readers meant for the elections and the plan to engage the use of thugs to snatch and if possible destroy the card readers.”

Meanwhile, a group, Coalition of Plateau Professionals, CPP has urged INEC in the state to adhere strictly to the rules guiding the conduct of elections as anything short of that will not augur well for democracy in the state.

The group warned that irregularities that characterised the Plateau North Senatorial election conducted 10 days ago should not be repeated or the outcome of elections will be rejected if INEC refuses to adhere to the rules guiding the conduct of elections.

The group’s spokesman, Kevin Nedim after reviewing the last elections and its expectations in the April 11 elections added the group is out against bad governance alleging it is aware that some dubious politicians are collaborating with bad elements in the State INEC office to subvert the wishes of the people.

No matter the intrigues, the prayer on ordinary citizens’ lips is that peace should prevail in the state during and after the polls.