From Yakubu Busari, Jos
The All Progressives Congress in Plateau State restated that Dr Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe remains its governorship candidate for the 2019 election, contrary to media reports.
Hon. Sylvanus Namang, APC State Publicity Secretary, said this in a press statement made available to this medium in Jos .
He said that the claims and counter claims about his, Goshwe’s candidature are distraction which the party seriously frowns at.
According to him; “Some of the claims and comments against his candidature are products of absurdity while others are mischievous ad diversionary.
“Before now, the issue had been the laughable claim that the gubernatorial candidate had not been issued a Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. This is base ignorance as INEC issues Certificate of Return only to candidates who have won an election conducted by it.
“Perhaps based on the morbid fear of the APC gubernatorial candidate by the opposition parties based on his intimidating credentials, which have given them sleepless night, they have conceded defeat ahead the 2023 gubernatorial election.
The most ridiculous issue which is trending in the media is the one by some pseudo forces and fifth columnists led by the trio of Jacob Gyang, Elder Victor Useni and Musa Ardo who call themselves Progressive Foundation Movement (PFM). nOur checks reveal that these characters are strange and unknown to any available records of our party.
“We therefore challenge them to unmask their true identity by publishing their membership details i.e. ward of registration and registration numbers.
“The fictitious group which is being used by some forces who are desperately seeking for acceptance by one the opposition parties in the state want to cause confusion and inflict some damage to the party before they leave. The APC is fully aware of the nocturnal meetings being held whose outcome is this vain attacks and attention seeking.
He however conceded that trouble has been brewing in the party in the state exactly two months after the primary election which Dr Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe emerged as the indisputable winner of the primary election after beating three other aspirants out of the eight aspirants who bought the party’s form but which four withdrew before the contest.
Attributing the source of conflict to “these so- called stakeholders that are asking the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee of the party to substitute the gubernatorial candidate.
“If we may ask, substitute him for what reason(s) and with who? They claimed that the gubernatorial candidate did not meet the guidelines for membership of the party and was not duly elected at the gubernatorial primary election duly conducted by electoral committee from the National Secretariat of the Party.
“The self-styled Progressive Foundation Movement claimed Dr Yilwatda is not a duly registered member of the party as he joined the APC on 6th January, 2022 after resigning as INEC Commissioner in charge of Benue state in December 2021 and had not been granted waiver before the contest.
“These claims are as spurious as they are totally based on ignorance of the party’s new guidelines and the amended constitution. Asking the National Working Committee of the party which is the implementing organ of NEC to replace the APC gubernatorial candidate is invariably telling it to reverse itself for no cogent reason.
“Dr Nentawe Yilwatda duly met all the set conditions and provisions of the guidelines and constitution of the APC before contesting the primary election on June 5th, 2022.
“Article 9.1 of the amended constitution which deals with eligibility/registration states; Membership of the party shall be open to any citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has attained the age of 18 years and who accepts the aims and objectives of the party, and is willing to abide by the provisions of the constitution, provided such a person is not a member of any other political party, a condition which the candidate is more than qualified.
On the issue of resigning as INEC Commissioner in December 2021, clear six months before the primary election, he needed only 30 days required for an employee of the public service preceding the date of electionas as provided in section E. of the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 General Elections.
The candidate is of sound mind, has never been convicted for any offence nor adjudged to be bankrupt or a member of a secret cult which are issues that would disqualify an aspirant from contesting an election.
He was duly sponsored and screened by the party’s appropriate organs before contesting.
On the allegation that the delegate list was concocted in Jos and not in the 207 wards of the state,this allegation cannot stand any integrity test.
“All congresses of the party to elect five delegates for the State House of Assembly, Gubernatorial and National Assembly primary elections took place in all the 207 federal wards of Plateau state supervised by officials from the national secretariat of the party and witnessed by INEC and security agencies as provided in the party’s guidelines.
“If not the height of mischief and the desperate attempts to demarket our gubernatorial candidate who is the candidate to beat in the 2023 general elections, why the selection of only delegates for the gubernatorial primary to vent their adrenalin?
“What Plateau State needs in 2023 is the best and that best is found in the combination of the youthful and most capable duo of Dr Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe and his running mate, Honourable Pam Bot Mang.
He said that no amount of blackmail, subterfuge or denigration would stop this winning team, adding that the party has its challenges like in other states which are normal fallout of any contest, moreso in fierce contest at gubernatorial levels where aspirants put in their energy and resources.
He said; “Those who lost at the primary election are definitely aggrieved but this must not lead to throwing away the baby with the bath water.
“The party in the state is not sleeping over these fallouts. It has begun the process of reconciliation across board as the primary elections remain a family contest.
“Moreover there is only one position for each seat contested for. The party does not believe in a winner and loser syndrome in a win win situation. There are different ways the aggrieved aspirants would be accommodated as losing election do not mean the an end to the loser.
“The accusation of the Governor Simon Lalong who is the leader of the party but who himself like his colleagues in other states was not a delegate at the gubernatorial primary election need to cease in order to allow the party concentrate on the elections ahead.
