The Governor Simon Lalong re-election Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Plateau State, said the inability of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Gen. Jeremiah Useni (retd) to attend the 2019 governorship debate was due to his advanced in age, impairment and disdain for public scrutiny.
The Campaign Council in a Press statement issued in Jos on Wednesday and signed by Mr. Jonathan Ishaku, Hon. Alex Kwapnoe, Hon. Ayuba Pam and Mr. Daniel Dung Dalyop challenged the PDP to tell the public the true reason why Useni was absent at the debate.
“We sympathize with the PDP and its supporters, even though in some quarters many are questioning the candidate’s inability to show up for the debate; was it just for the challenges of advanced age and impaired health or the fear of being subjected to public scrutiny?
“How such frailty and disdain for public scrutiny portend to good governance in the unlikely circumstances that a candidate with such unpredictable disposition gets into office?
“We pray for the PDP to overcome it’s difficulties in good time so that the contest will be properly joined; only this will make APC inevitable Victor at the polls sweeter.
“We regret the inability of the candidate of the PDP to show up to take the auspicious opportunity to outlay his party’s programmes to the good people of the state as the other contestants did. A political party like PDP would avail itself the mechanism of an open forum for robust Debate on issue of public interest.”
The statement commended Governor Lalong for not only coming out to participate in the debate but also addressing on all issues raised during the debate.
Plateau State PDP Campaign Council said the Governorship flag-bearer of the Party, Senator Jeremiah Useni, was unable to attend and participate in the Governorship debate due to unforeseen circumstances.
In a statement signed by Chairman Media and Publicity Committee of the PDP, Hon. Yiljap Abraham, Useni was said to be in sound healgh and that his age is not a barrier in his ambition to the govern Plateau State.
“We regret that the PDP Plateau State governorship Flag-bearer, Senator JT Useni, is unable to attend and participate in today’s gubernatorial debate put up by the Plateau Debate Group. This is owing to unforseen developments.”
The spokesman expressed concern that the electoral discontent of the last local government elections in the state might foreshadow further malpractice in the coming general elections, as he urged voters to resist and protect their votes.
Yiljap complained about the government control of mass media like the Plateau Radio Television Corporation, a state-owned broadcast station, saying that the opposition has been denied access.
