By Shabul Mazadu

It is no longer news that the Plateau State Governor Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, has a preferred governorship aspirant in his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the person of Dr. Nentawe Yilwada. There is also a report that they have concealed the identity of the delegates and made them inaccessible and incommunicado to other governorship aspirants. The selection of the delegates was biasly done in favour of the preferred aspirant and not on a level playing ground. 

Truth be told, the Governor has a right to support the candidate of his choice since he will also vote at the party's primaries, but what is worrisome here is the indignity meted to other aspirants who have contributed immensely to his victory at the 2015 and 2019 polls by following politically ill processes to ensure the victory of his aspirant as the flag bearer of the APC. 

The Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola said, "Those who will benefit from the common wealth purse, must contribute to the common purse." 

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe said, "If rates must be paid, then let there value for money." 

The other aspirants have paid their dues by ensuring the sustenance of the party at its darkest hour through mobilizing support in various ways and advocating that its the best in Plateau and Nigeria. 

With the fanatical 7 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, local government areas, if all the other aspirants were not in the APC, it would have been extinct by now.

The aspirants have heavily contributed to the party, and should be rewarded with a level playing ground, and allowed to meet the delegates. If this is not done, it is tantamount to paying rates without value for money, and repaying good with evil, which is totally unjust. The Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox that thresh the corn." Meaning a labourer is worthy of his wages. 1 Timothy 5:18. The wages of the aspirants right now is a level playing ground. 

It should be noted that Dr. Nentawe did nothing for the APC, and shouldn't be allowed bogus advantage over the sweat of others. 

He has been in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which does not permit its workers to play politics, but be neutral. If Nentawe was supporting the APC secretly, it showed he was violating his oath of office and it was gravious offence. Oath of office is the solemn declaration before God and men that the tenets of what one embarks on will be adhered to. So, if he was supporting the party, he does not deserved to be supported, because it shows he can break his oath of office as governor as he did in INEC. 

And if he wasn't supporting the APC, it means he did nothing for it, so how can he benefit above those that sustained the party? 

Poor reward system kills political parties, and kills the morale of those who selflessly and meriteriously served them. Who shall give his/her all to the party just at the end for a cabal in positions to reward their friends who did not labour for the party at his/her expense? The existence of a political party depends on the goodwill of its members for it,  just as the existence of the members depends on the goodwill of the party for them. 

If level playing ground is given to all and the aspirants lost to Nentawe in a clean way, most of them will support him and their supporters. But if a level playing ground is not given, it will attract massive protests at the polls.

Let all the aspirants have access to the delegates in the name of fairness, equity and justice.