By Marie-Therese Nanlong

AFTER a rancour-free and peaceful governorship primary that produced Senator Jeremiah Useni as winner, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is having problems over choice of a running mate in Plateau State.

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Unlike in 2014 when the governorship aspirants stormed out of the primary in protest, there was nothing of such in 2018 where 13 aspirants contested the exercise.

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However, shortly after the primary, the task of choosing a running mate for Jeremiah Useni became a problem as major stakeholders express diverse views as to who they want.

With the party zoning the seat to Mangu Local Council in the Central zone of the State, some names including those of two former council chairmen, Benedict Shingnugul and Caleb Mutfwang as well as that of the former Secretary to the State Government, Professor Shedrack Best were initially mentioned.

As feet were being dragged, subsequent names including that of the candidate for the Chairmanship seat in the just concluded local government election, Ayuba Gufwan and a staff of the Industrial Training Funds, ITF, Dr. James Dalok, among others were reeled out.

Not long after his name was added, Gufwan, a physically challenged person alleged that derogatory remarks were made against his person and he was discriminated upon and threatened to dump the PDP.

As the controversy raged as to who the authentic running mate is, the Party through its leadership said it is Benedict Shingnugul while Useni’s campaign directorate said it was James Dalok, who critics said has the backing of the All Progressives Congress, APC leaders. The Director General of Useni’s campaign team, Professor Dimis Mailafia said he does not know Dalok as being planted in the party by APC but a man who has been working for the PDP

PDP’s Publicity Secretary, John Akans, said he was not aware that Dalok had been chosen, accepted, and his name submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as Useni’s running mate.

Mailafia said: “We have submitted Dalok’s name to INEC. I don’t know about him being an APC member. How can he be APC member when PDP said he was working for the party? Even if he is APC member he worked for PDP. Is he a card-carrying member of APC? No. We didn’t know that, we are only hearing about it now.

“We did not discriminate against Ayuba, his name did not come to us, they sat down in Mangu and brought a list, and his name was not among. So, who did the discrimination? Is it in Mangu or us? We spoke with Ayuba and he apologized. I never knew he was interested in the seat until I saw his write up. I knew he was our candidate for the chairmanship seat in Mangu.”

Akans however said: “Where did they submit Dalok’s name? Have you seen the name that was submitted to INEC? Who told you that a name was submitted? I am not aware of any name, once it is done, I will let you know.”

Meanwhile Ayuba said:  “Somehow, there was an apology but not satisfactory. The Party Chairman tried doing that but everything would be sorted out. For me, it was not about if my name was submitted or not, even if I was nominated and those statements were made, they would still be termed as derogatory.

“I am aware that the name of James Dalok had been submitted, there is a kind of division. Majority of the exco say they are not aware of any submission and are not comfortable with the name. The feared implosion may likely happen because the problem is that we are not a lesson-learning organization.”