By  Taye Obateru

Jos—The merger of some opposition political parties ahead of the 2015 general election if successful, might alter the political equation for the governorship and other elections in Plateau State and put the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on its toes.

Vanguard’s investigations showed that many politicians within and outside the PDP which is currently the dominant party in the state are already projecting into the political benefits they could reap from a successful merger of the opposition parties.

A prominent politician confided in Vanguard, weekend, that they would not mind to identify with the new party “if it musters the capacity to serve as an alternative to the PDP.”

He admitted that only a strong opposition party like the one likely to emerge from the on-going arrangement could challenge the PDP successfully and dislodge it from power.

It was learnt that some prominent politicians who were angling to re-join the PDP despite threats by the state leadership of the party that they would not be re-admitted were treading softly to see how the merger would work.

Another source privy to some of the meetings by politicians in the state hinted that the issue of the zoning of the governorship had been top on the agenda with many favoring a continuation of the arrangement which would see the Southern Senatorial District producing the next governor.

”Any party who tries to tamper with this arrangement would pay dearly for it and that is why we need a strong opposition party which will serve as an alternative where people can freely decide the future of the state,” the source said.

He said they are angry that Governor Jonah Jang, who left PDP to become ANPP’s governorship candidate in 2003 and was later re-admitted and given the PDP governorship ticket in 2007 would want to shut out those who left the party for one reason or the other, as has been alleged.