Original Article written by Despan Kwardem
Now that General Muhammadu Buhari is our President-elect, Plateau people must vote and install an APC governor as a matter of political expediency. Had President Goodluck Jonathan won the presidential election, voting the APC would have been a matter of choice.
The peoples protest against Gov Jang’s imposition to actualize his Du Agenda may have informed this choice to vote for the APC, a choice the PDP machinery at the centre would have cast all manner of spell to frustrate. With GMB’s emergence, this choice has been eliminated. Voting for the APC in protest is no longer sufficient reasons to vote PDP out of power; it is now a matter of survival and relevance. I adduce three reasons for this:
1. Access to Federal Opportunities (Appointments).
There are two kinds of federal opportunities (appointments) which States benefit from. The first type is the appointments guaranteed by the constitution and the principle of federal character. There are basically three of them – Minister, Ambassador, Federal Permanent Secretary. The second types are those that are given at the prerogative of Mr. President. Although the principle of federal character still applies, it is not strictly followed. An APC governor in Plateau State would guarantee the latter.
Already, Plateau State has the ignoble label of being an eternal PDP State. Voting in a PDP governor would only reinforce this stereotyping and reduce the State's chances of getting federal appointments that fall within the prerogative of the President.
General Buhari is an honourable gentleman, a statesman and man of equity. So we expect he will distribute these appointments equitably. That is the duty of a leader. However, my fear stems from the experience of the State during the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency. Out of nearly 350 federal appointments into Boards of federal Agencies and Parastatals, Goodluck Jonathan could only credit Plateau State with two positions, none of them a Chairman.
Recall that the Chairman of the '16 versus 19' PDP Governors' Forum was from Plateau State. He was not only a party henchman; he was a complete loyalist of Jonathan's. Apart from Sarah Ochekpe (a berom compatriot of Baba Jang) the only federal minister and Esther Gonda (another berom compatriot) a federal Permanent Secretary who was replaced by one Danjuma from Langtang, Mr. Jonathan couldn't use his prerogative to give Plateau State any federal appointments. Except of course, Paradang in the Nigerian Immigration Service.
On the contrary, the northwest had 8 federal ministers, 8 federal permanent Secretaries, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the last 3 successive Inspectors General of Police, the last 4 Chief Justices of Nigeria, except the one before the present CJN, Comptroller General of Customs, Acting DG of FIRS, etc, yet, the North west never voted him. I don't remember any federal infrastructure in Plateau State (It still beats me that Plateau State voted for him in the last election).
Now we don't want a repeat of this marginalisation under GMB – which is very likely if a Jang anointed should succeed him as governor.
However, an APC governor would definitely stand a better chance to negotiate for these positions on our behalf. Already, the APC on the Plateau has a good bargaining chip...the massive votes we gave the General in the presidential election. We would need to consolidate on that advantage by voting massively again for the APC in the governorship election. This would keep the channel of communication between State and Federal open.
2. To ensure that Plateau State remains relevant in the national calculation.
A man without relevance in any community cannot influence anything. He is like a man with no value. Voting for the PDP governorship puts Plateau state in this state of risk. But we can eliminate this risk. Plateau State has always been relevant in national issues. We must remain so by carving the right alignments. And in the national political calculation, being in the mainstream APC seems a good prospect.
As it is, our only other channels at the federal level – senators and members of the house of Representatives – are predominantly in the PDP (again reinforcing the stereotype). With 64 APC senators elected, the PDP is suddenly now the opposition party and our 3 J-senators automatically members of the minority party. What this means is that they cannot be made principal officers. At best, the party may reward the State by giving one of them the position of minority leader or chief whip... if they are able to negotiate well. This effectively diminishes our bargaining power and by a larger implication, relevance in the national calculation.
Now this is certainly not a good political outlook for Plateau state, which has traditionally been in the mainstream of political affairs in this country since the return of democratic governance in 1999. As a matter of expediency therefore, we must remain in the mainstream. Holding unto the PDP just to fulfill and maintain a tradition will not help us much.
Without an Executive linkage to the APC at the national level, Plateau State could easily be alienated in the national equation. Our only hope, like I said earlier, is that GMB is a fair man. He would use his prerogative to not only appoint our people into federal positions, but also reach out to keep Plateau State relevant. But we can’t just rely on GMB's generosity alone. Let’s earn it!
3. To provide Change on the Plateau.
The last reason why Plateau must vote APC is to provide change in Plateau state and end what I call 3I-Culture, i.e. the triple-I evils of imposition, impunity and ignobility. These three evils were the hallmarks of the Jonathan administration – the same evils that stirred the souls of Nigerians to demand for change. Everyone knows that no society can be built on the principles of injustice and inequality. As such, Plateau State cannot be an exception. In fact, by its very religious nature and disposition, Plateau State ought to lead the way in this fight for change.
Moreover, the gale (wind) of change is sweeping across the nation; so why not also the Plateau?
This might look like a pedestrian argument perhaps it is but it has its merits. Baba Jang has done his bit. PDP has had her share of governance since 1999. Perhaps it is time to try another party, even if for the fun of it. It is like we have been eating rice all our lives. Should we not want to try beans or semo this time around? Voting in the APC, even if for the sake of trying them, gives us an opportunity to know the difference. We must not be afraid to do this. Waiting till the next election may be late.
Too late.
Moreover, the just concluded presidential election has proven that the power to change governments is in our hands! Unless we try this change now, we can never be sure if the APC is a better party or not. But if we vote them into power and they disappoint, then in 2019, we can easily tell them, ‘we gave you a chance and you failed” and vote them out like we did the PDP at the federal level. But something tells me the APC may be a better choice.
They have a glowing example in Lagos and Osun, where their youth empowerment programme is one of the best models by any government in the country. So may be, if Plateau state votes the APC into governorship, we will not only be in the mainstream of national dance of change, but specifically test the party’s capability on the Plateau.
On the strength of these three points therefore, it has become strategically imperative, in my opinion, that Plateau State votes Right. Hon. Simon Lalong, candidate of the APC as the next governor of the state.
