By Daniel Dauda, Jos


The ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in Plateau has accused opposition peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over ill-fated press conference held Monday 27th March, 2023, trying to misled the general public over self acclaimed victory.

A press statement by State Secretary of APC Hon.Fidelis M.Longban Tuesday stated that such narrative portray bad omen for Plateau cherished values of peace and unity. 

According to Longban, "Our attention has been drawn to a Press Conference credited to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Plateau State Chapter, dated Monday 27th March 2023. The Press Conference has, among other things, conjured a very bad omen for our cherished values of peace and unity. 

"This is because the PDP, through its misleading statements, is once again seeking to reactivate its well-known politics of acrimony and hate in the State. It is rather amusing and amazing that the Press Conference started with the bravado of winning majority of the seats in the National and State Assembly elections in a most controversial electoral process whose outcome is still being fiercely contested at the Election Petitions Tribunal." 

  However, the ill-fated Press Conference has raised some weighty issues which deserve to be properly investigated and diligently prosecuted in the best interest of the State. In particular, the PDP has made a desperate and bold-faced effort to divert attention by whipping up sentiments amidst strong allegations of sharp electoral malpractices on their part.

 "This is utterly diversionary. What is even more amazing and curious is how the opposition PDP has alleged that certain election materials meant for some polling units in Jos North were stolen with the intent of favouring the ruling All Progressives Congress. 

 Furthermore, the PDP has alleged that some identified members of the APC have been linked to the disappearance of some sensitive and non-sensitive materials including some 42 ad hoc officials in a bid to rig the election in favour of the APC. 

"This wild allegation, couched in thick tissues of lies, is surely fabricated from the figment of the PDP’s imagination. Indeed, the onus of proof rests on the PDP, for it is trite in law that “he who alleges must prove”. 

"We thus await the outcome of investigations by security agents who we implore, should quickly invite Mr. Chris Hassan the State Chairman since he has availed himself to “unravel the mystery and help the police” in their investigations. 

"Now that Mr. Hassan and some of the suspected conspirators and collaborators are beginning to rear their ugly heads, security agents should not go too far to get his likes as their star witnesses, for they seem to have some information to divulge.

"By these interesting revelations, we can but say that the chicken has come home to roost! In another orgy of vendetta the PDP has sought to malign the integrity of some members of our great Party namely: Hon. Shehu Bala Usman the Jos North LGC Chairman, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi Honourable Member Representing PKK and Hon. Aliyu Adamu the Member-Elect, Jos North-North, with unsubstantiated allegations over the said disappearance of some election materials and ad hoc staff. 

"This is a dramatic irony of some sorts especially when we have already established the clear intent to inflict psychological injuries on hapless members of our Party. 

"It is rather absurd. The general public would recall that we have since alluded to serial attacks and harassment of our members by the opposition PDP since the declaration of results of the controversial Governorship and State Assembly polls.

"Equally interesting to us are the hypothetical questions asked by the PDP Chairman regarding the identity and whereabouts of the said 3 ad hoc staff posted to each of the 14 polling units in Naraguta B; names of 14 disappeared police personnel attached to the said 14 polling units; and identity of the 42 INEC staff, among others. 

"These questions should rather have been channelled to his accomplices and the INEC which he seems to have applauded for the controversial outcome of the general elections in Plateau State on hand, yet obliquely condemning it for the flawed nature of the exercise on the other hand."  

 Finally, we urge the general public to discountenance the PDP’s cock-and-bull stories especially against the APC and some of its members for they are largely speculative and meant to hoodwink and mislead unsuspecting citizens. 

"As we call on relevant security agencies to deploy due diligence in carrying out their investigations, we wish to restate our commitment to issue-based statements and not to indulge in an action that would breach the peace of the State", Longban stated.