Plateau: Emergency Rule and Other Matters
The political equation in Plateau State has changed since President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency in the state. Now with Governor Joshua Dariye on suspension, all kinds of permutations are being thrown out by politicians who may not even be prepared to wait for 2007. Funmi Peter-Omale captures the mood
Though a state of emergency is firmly in place in the state, politicians even before the proclamation have been gearing up for the 2007 elections. The northern zone of the state controls who gets what as it constitutes over 60 percent of the total voting population in the state. Yet, the zone has never produced a civilian governor.
The 2003 gubernatorial election fought in the typical inter-dynamics of Plateau politics which saw all sorts of forces marshalling all their resources against the incumbent, Chief Joshua Dariye and the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Infact, he became so unpopular with some founding members of the party that they had to jump ship in order to fight from outside.
However, these elders lost to the power of incumbency of Dariye who won the polls just by a narrow margin of about 6,000 votes, the lowest recorded in the whole nation. But his opponents were quick to contest the result and accuse him of using the paraphernalia of office to 'rig' his re-election. Whatever the true situation must have been in 2003, the factors that would determine the 2007 elections would definitely be different, going by current trends and recent political manouvres in the state.
One thing is very clear on the Plateau. The people are always in love with the mainstream, in this case with the PDP. In fact, an average Plateau man believes that PDP represents the Plateau dream. Thus, despite the excesses of the party and the state government before the emergency rule was imposed, the people still stuck to the party because of their die-hard stance for its survival in the state. That was also why opposition parties like the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD), have made very little or no head way since the inception of the new democratic dispensation in 1999.
Maybe that is why the founding fathers of the PDP who had severally decamped from the party between 2001 and 2003 just about a month ago, made a detour back to the party after an unsuccessful sojourn in the opposition.
Succinctly put, the opposition in 2003 has lost the best opportunity they could ever get in Plateau due to their members' inordinate and unco-ordinated ambitions that divided the votes and gave ample opportunity for the ruling party to rubbish them. Their chances in 2007 appear bleak especially with the recent decampment back to PDP, of notable figures like Professor Dakum Shown, Air Commodore Jonah Jang (rtd), Senator Venmark Dangin, Mr. Damishi Sango, Philemon Dewan and so on. Some others are also on the line up because of the juicy promises made to them if they return back to PDP.
Shape of Things to Come
There are three zones in Plateau state. They are Plateau North, Plateau Central and Plateau South made up of 17 local government areas in all. Plateau North consists of Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos East and Bassa. The Central zone consists of Mangu, Bokkos, Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam. While the South includes Langtang North, Langang South, Mikang, Shendam, Quan'an Pan and Wase local government areas.
Come 2007, there is something like a consensus that the next gubernatorial election belongs to Plateau North. So far, Plateau South has produced two civilian governors, Chief Solomon Lar (Langtang North) in the First Republic, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun (Shendam) in the short-lived Second Republic both from the south; and Chief Joshua Dariye (Bokkos), until his suspension three months ago, was serving his second term. He is from the central zone.
The inability of the North in producing a governor up till now has largely been adduced to "political conspiracy" in which other tribes are said to be afraid of the dominance of the largest tribe in the state, the Berom. The Berom nation dominates four out of the five local government in Plateau north; namely Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Jos North.
Before and after the emergency proclamation, there has not been any serious contender coming out from either the Southern nor the Central zone but a number of others from the north have been identified. Attempts to confirm their ambitions were rebuffed except for Sango and Jang who are generally believed to still be nursing the ambition though they lost in 2003 to Dariye under the platforms AD and ANPP respectively.
However, a new twist to the scenario is that recently, the two political juggernauts have returned to the PDP and it is most unlikely that they would contest under the same platform for the same position. So the speculation is that a purported agreement was reached before they agreed to return wherein it was stipulated was that Jang would vie for gubernatorial while Sango would go for the Senatorial election, although none of them was willing to confirm or deny this. With this trend, it simply means there may not be any formidable opposition in 2007 except if things change before then
Given the above scenario, the contenders from the zones are likely to dictate the dynamics of 2007 based on their individual strengths. Incidentally, almost all of them with considerable clout come from the North Senatorial zone.
Jang was a member of G34, the group that metamorphosised into the PDP. He however decamped to the ANPP because of political differences between him, Dariye and the state PDP. He contested the PDP gubernatorial primaries but lost to Dariye, though he maintains that he won the primaries. Subsequently however, the bubble burst and the former military governor of old Gongola and Benue states was schemed out in the power play that took place during the 1999 primaries.
A cursory look at the list of aspirants reveals that he appears to be the most qualified on the basis of having being a two time military administrator.
Apart from this, Jang commands a lot of respect among his people and some parts of the southern zone as evidenced in the overwhelming votes he got in the last election. One of the main reasons he was able to give Dariye a run for his money during the 2003 polls was because of the support and sympathy he had been able to garner since 1999. Though he lost, the ANPP was able to win the most coveted positions in the state for the National Assembly positions- Bassa/Jos North federal constituency and Plateau North Senatorial District. Now that he is back in PDP, speculations has it that he is being groomed to take over from Dariye in the very near future
As for Sango, the former minister of sports was ousted from office because of power struggle between him and governor Dariye in 2001. His tenure as minister was allegedly dotted with a number of controversies that dented his image and did not help his gubernatorial campaigns last year Having lost out in PDP, he decamped to the AD made a lot of trouble and finally decamped to the AD with his supporters. However, since joining the AD, the party has never been the same as some old members saw his entrance as "coming to reap where they did not sow". It has been a battle of wits and power in AD until his return to the PDP recently.
But the theory being bandied around now is that the alleged agreement before his return to PDP is that he would jettison his gubernatorial ambition to make way for Jang while he (Sango) pursue a Senatorial slot. To what extent this is true, one can not really say until the politicians start playing out their script. Whatever ambition he eventually decides to pursue, Sango has always had the support and followership of elders like Chief Emmanuel Magni, Sylvannus Lot and Senator Venmark Dangin. These are personalities that would always boost his campaigns. They have all back in the PDP.
Another contender for governorship of the state is Hon. Lumumba Dah Adeh. Adeh, an engineer by profession who worked with Julius Berger until 1999, started as the House of Representatives member representing Bassa/Jos North under the platform of the ruling party.
Currently the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Adeh has over the years, enjoyed the overwhelming support of youths in the state because of his youthfulness and the fact that he is the proprietor of a football club J.C. Raiders F.C of Jos. The club has been adjudged as a platform of keeping hitherto restless youths busy and gainfully employed rather than engaging in mischievous activities. As a National Assembly member, Adeh was said to have carried his constituency along as well as providing other employment opportunities for them. Similarly, he put in place economic empowerment programme and a widowhood programme aimed at alleviating the suffering of the people in his constituencies. All these bolstered and drummed a lot of support and popularity for him. However, he lost his second bid for the House to the ANPP flag bearer, Hassan Saleh-Hassan who cashed on the opportunity of a divided house to clinch the position. Notwithstanding, he has made an indelible mark in the political terrain in the Plateau especially since Obasanjo deemed it fit to appoint him his special assistant.
Another name being mentioned is Yusuf Pam, a brilliant and young lawyer who was was appointed by Dariye as Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General three years ago and got retained in office by State administrator, Gen. Chris Alli retained him as the attorney General He is from a humble but very popular background. His father was the Colonel Pam, implicated in the Dimka coup. His mother, Chief Mrs. Elizabeth Pam (mni) is presently the Chairman of the State Peace and Reconciliatory Conference inaugurated by President Olusegun Obasanjo during his recent visit to the state. For decades, she has played a key role in the economic and political circles in the state and the country at large.
Arc. Sam Galadima is yet another name being mentioned as a governorship contender.Only a few months ago, it was rumoured that Dariye was grooming this renowned architect to take over the mantle of leadership from him in 2007. He was a former Commissioner for Works in the immediate past military regime and was indicted for alleged misappropriation of funds by the V.K. Dangin Commission of Inquiry. He contested for the National Assembly primaries but lost out. He is from Jos East local government and would hardly make any impact if he joins the race.
Also in the race is Arc. Pam Dung Gyang who left his plum job in 2003 to join the guber race in Plateau. He came at a time the PDP was in crisis and he had been assured that the people of the state wanted a change, a clear departure from what they had in Dariye. He lost the primaries to Dariye and he was initially rumoured to have left the party, but this turned out to be untrue. However, the former Chairman, Prototype Housing, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, has been keeping a very low profile and is said to be planning towards re-launching his campaigns very soon. His massive campaign building located along Yakubu Gowon way is under lock and key for now though.
There is also Yakubu Pam Jack who is from Foron, Barkin Ladi local government. He contested the National Assembly primaries in 2003 to represent Plateau North Senatorial district under the PDP platform but lost. He does not really command enough political clout to make him scale through the primaries.
As for Hon Musa Azi, who is a minority by tribe (Afizere, Jos East), there are a number of factors that would count against him if he aspires to the highest position in the state. He only came into the limelight last year when he contested the primaries for the National Assembly but lost to Senator Davou B. Zang who was then an incumbent. An astute professional in the organized private sector, Azi was the Production Manager of Ashakacem but he joined politics last year. His scant political background and being a minority would definitely count against him.
Colonel John Dungs (rtd) is one other name being mentioned. Dung was the former military administrator of Delta state and is from a royal family in Gyel District, Jos South local government. Other than rumours, there has not been any serious indication on his part that he would be interested in governing the state. However in 2003, he was visibly all over Commodore Jonah Jang (rtd) supporting his campaign train financially and materially. It is very difficult to place him in a particular political party as he has been said to be in PDP at one time and in ANPP another time.
|
