Gyang Bere, Jos
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State have clashed over renewed killings that saw innocent persons in some villages in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of the state losing their lives.
The parties have also clashed on account of the official flag-off of their governorship campaigns in the state. Both the PDP and APC fixed Friday February 4, 2018, as the launching of their 2019 campaigns.
Plateau State PDP Campaign Council, in a statement by its Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, Hon. Yiljap Abraham, said that PDP had fixed Friday, January 4, 2019, as the official launching of its campaigns.
He accused Governor Simon Lalong of denying the PDP access to the campaign venue, a development he said compelled the party to change the venue to Mangu Local Government Area.
He said: “The People’s Democratic Party in Plateau State has fixed Friday, January 4, 2019, for the official launch of its campaign in the state for the 2019 election.
“This was among other decisions taken by the leadership of the party Chairman, Hon. Damishi Sango and Co-chairman, Senator Jeremiah Useni, who is the party’s governorship candidate.
“The council members took a swipe at the Plateau State government for planning to deny the opposition parties in the state, particularly the PDP, access to possible campaign venues.”
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He said the state campaign council also came down heavily on Governor Lalong for allegedly allowing a resurgence of killing of Plateau people by unidentified people.
“The governor has tolerated the reign of terror and the unrestrained flow of blood from December 23 in Gako, Riyom Local Government Area to Christmas and Boxing days in Barkin Ladi town and Nding – both in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in which more than 14 people have been killed.”
But the state Chairman of the APC, Hon. Latep Dabang, in a media briefing, said the party had fixed Friday January, 4, 2018, for the flag-off of its campaign for the re-election of Governor Simon Lalong at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium Jos, where the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was expected to received decampees from the opposition PDP.
On the renewed killings, he said Governor Lalong had vowed to sustain the peace prevailing in the state despite efforts of some conflict merchants to instill fear in the populace.
Lalong, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Yakubu Dati, said that the reports of attacks in parts of Fan district of Barkin Ladi Local Government should not be seen as victory of evil forces but an act of desperation to take the state back to the ugly past.
He assured that security operatives had been directed to go after the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“Security agencies have been directed to make effective coverage of the flash points to prevent further threat to lives and property. Government will not be deterred in its commitment to return Internally Displaced Persons back to their ancestral land.”
He said no opposition party had been denied access to any campaign venue, adding that allegations in that regard were baseless and unfounded.