A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Menseh Madaki, has said that the PDP in Plateau State supported Representative of Asama Daniel of the Labour Party (LP) to be the House representative of the Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Pam Dachungyang of the Action Democratic Party (ADC) to be the Senator representing Plateau North for the good of Plateau people, and not for any political benefits.
Madaki said this in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday after Asama Daniel was upheld as the winner of the rerun election which made him the Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency representative.
He said, “There was no alliance for the LP candidate or the ADP candidate to either after winning the election decamp or cross carpet to the PDP. All that PDP did was to demonstrate to the people that for the fact we are not going to be on the ballot or we have been excluded from participation in this election, we are going to ensure someone, or people, who have the requisite knowledge and capacity to drive home all the political knowledge and points wins this election. And in less than 24 hours, PDP demonstrated for the umpteenth time again that it has all the necessary powers in Plateau state to ensure that the right people win elections. ”
In February 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following a court order, removed the PDP from the ballot in the rerun elections for the Plateau North Senatorial seat and the Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency.
Madaki, recounting the choice of the PDP after it was removed from ballot in the rerun, said, “What really transpired in the rerun election was something that has never happened anywhere else in Nigeria, because PDP wanted to demonstrate and actually prove, score a political point, especially to those other political parties that took PDP to court. For instance, even though the labour candidate was one of the petitioners in the general petition, that is Asama himself, but then, during the rerun, PDP decided that we needed somebody who will come from almost the same axis with the candidate whose election was actually nullified.
“And indeed, if you’re asked to choose the lesser devil, PDP decided to settle for the Labour Party, because labour party did not do any harm to the PDP. So, there is this synergy within the PDP, because there was actually proper consultation, and PDP decided, under the leadership of the governor, governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, that for the fact that we’re not going to be on the ballot, that does not mean that we should now ruin the chances of bringing somebody who is more competent into that position. That was why the governor decided to give the marching order, and in less than 24 hours, Labour Party claimed the position.”
He further reiterated that the PDP had focused on making the right choice, explaining, “It is important to understand and also underscore the significant point that out of the candidates that actually contested for that position, and they were supposed to participate in the rerun, Honourable Asama Daniel was seen to be more acceptable by the people. And PDP decided since this position is all about the people, let us rally around someone who has the tenacity and the dexterity to deliver to the people the dividends of democracy, and I can tell you for free that Honourable Asama has already demonstrated to the people that he indeed has the requisite competence to drive home some advantages and benefits.
“We have been seeing his programmes, his participation in the National Assembly at the House of Reps, he has been so vocal and vociferous, and he has been representing the people very well. This is all about the people, and not because PDP wants to just prove anything that it’s anti-people, no. It’s just to show to the people that indeed, we are out for you people, and we will rally round someone who has the requisite knowledge to represent you well.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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