From Yakubu Busari ,Jos
Another fresh political battle is brewing in the in Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, this time between two retired generals, Lt.Gen, Jeremiah Useni and Air Commodore, Jonan Jang, former governor of the state.
Useni was governorship candidate of the party in the March 23 governorship poll, 2019. Both generals are Senators.
The battle is part of preparations ahead of 2023 general elections.
Reports reaching our medium revealed that Jang who have all along supported a faction during the leadership crisis that rocked the local party following allegations of financial embezzlement which finally claimed former Chairman, Damihi Sango, is making an attempt to create parallel leadership of the party in the state.
This medium gathered authoritatively that the plan to claim the leadership of PDP in the state followed the recent Supreme Court judgement that sealed the hopes of Useni to reclaim the governorship from Gov Simon Lalong.
One of PDP chieftain who spoke to our correspondent under condition of anonymity said Sen Jang is organizing a dinner for his supporters and to use the occasion to announce himself as leader of the party in Plateau state.
He said the meeting was schedule to hold on Friday in Jang’s Waye foundation Doi, in Jos South LGA .
He also stated that what he couldn’t understand the need for a dinner at this particular time when the flag bearer of the party in 2019 election, Sen. J. T. Useni was still leaking the wounds inflicted by the “unexpected” judgement by the apex court
He said: “ Former Sen Jang supporters never teamed up with the party all through the suit challenging Lalong’s election.
“They never followed us to the court for once, they have severally issued congratulatory message to the incumbent APC Gov Simon Lalong on print Media before and after the judgement.
According to him, “the actions taken by Jang and his supporters has taken all of us by surprise and so for this meeting we are not surprised with the development going on within the PDP family.”
Some political pundits are saying that the former governor may be acting it up because of the pending case of fraud with the EFCC. To wriggle out, he may be exploiting the possibility of striking a deal with the ruling APC government to get off the anti-graft agency’s hook. Senator Jang and his Secretary to Government, Yusuf Pam are standing trial in a 12-count charge brought against them by the EFCC on the misappropriated of fund to the tune of over N6 billion.,
Meanwhile, Mr Gayus Bot, a chieftain of the PDP in Northern Senatorial Zone, who opened up, said “the gathering is of no effect to the party, it lacks any powers to change our party Constitution or structure, I personally serve under him, (Jang) and nobody has invited me for the meeting yet.
“We can’t continue like this. I think the Baba Jonah Jang I know, if this allegations turn out to be true, I will surely believe some people are attempting to take advantage of his name and this may take his reputation to the dustbin without him realising it.
“Let him remain calm and focus. Sen JT Useini has been holding the party for more than three years now. He is his, (Jang’s) senior by age and military rank. Nonetheless, I suspect something is wrong, but it may be some of the people around him using his name unknowingly.
“Let’s wait and hear what they have to say on Friday.”
Friday came and our correspondent who made for the venue of the proposed meeting in the attempt to verify the authenticity of the story and seek views of the planners got an unusual answer: Postponement.
One of the organisers of the meeting, Idi Waziri handed him a statement, which reads
“ I am directed to inform you that the important meeting earlier scheduled to hold on Friday 24/01/2020 with our Leader Distinguished Sen Jonah David Jang has been shifted to Friday 31/01/2020.
“The time and venue remain the same.”
