The map of Plateau State used to demonstrate the story.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – Elders from the 17 local government areas of the Plateau State chapter have appealed to politicians in the State to stop overheating the polity so they don’t upset the fragile peace in the State.
The elders on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC appealed to all stakeholders to desist from engaging in activities that are inimical to the smooth transition of the electoral process in the State.
The elders through Professor Dimis Mailafia at a press conference in Jos on Wednesday stressed they are opposed to imposition in all elections and asked for decorum in the interest of the citizens.
His words, “In recent weeks it has come to our notice that a group of elders has been busy with certain activities inimical to the smooth transition of the electoral process in the state. It first started as a grumble by a purported group of aspirants whose idea of electioneering campaigns stopped at printing and pasting posters in our urban city and along highways with lofty slogans.
“While the real men and women were crisscrossing the state sharing ideas, appealing to supporters, and mobilizing to demographics, they enjoy mere appearances at events and the granting of fanciful press interviews to massage their sense of self-worth. When the point arrived to put work into action and buy the party’s relevant and compulsory notification and nomination forms, they failed…
“But why we find it necessary to call this Press Conference today is to give a word of caution against the distraction. Firstly, we noticed how this allegation was quickly latched on by a group calling itself the Equity and Justice Forum. Many of us are also members of this noble organization but we are not aware of when meetings have been called or held. It seems likely that only a couple of personages have met in their parlours to share some views among themselves.
“So far they continue to peddle the false notion that imposition was responsible for the failure of the PDP in 2015! It was not. It was the refusal of the Government of that time to stay the course of rotating power within the zones. But they say if a man’s sole inheritance is a hammer, he sees every problem in life as a nail. This is how the purported Equity and Justice Forum behaves right now. It is almost in a conspiracy to superimpose the 2015 imprint on the wonderful flourish of zoning today in Plateau State with an allegation of imposition…”
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The elders’ spokesperson added, “At least we are supposed to act with maturity, patience, decorum, and circumspection. Knowing that what camouflages as a protest against imposition is nothing but politics, to what extent should we heed our rule to stay clear of political partisanship. In any case, if indeed APC in Plateau State is having such an issue, it is the role we envisage for the elders council to mediate and reconcile and resolve the crisis, or to demonstrate, beat the war drums and the soapbox to spread acrimony?
“We the representatives of the elders from all the 17 Local Government Areas are gathered here to caution ourselves against actions that can derail this process that has been smooth so far. For the avoidance of doubt, we are opposed to imposition in all elections. We desire that the best leadership materials will eventually emerge as leaders in our state. However, it should not be at the expense of any individual…”
