Gyang Bere, Jos
The Plateau State candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 General Elections, Gen. Jeremiah Useni (retd), says that he will pursue his petition contestimg the relection of Governor Simon Lalong until “we reclaim our mandate in court.”
Useni has vowed to see the matter to a satisfactory judicial conclusion at the Supreme Court.
The former governorship candidate disclosed this yesterday while addressing party supporters on the crisis that has rocked the state chapter of the PDP since the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congres (APC) duly elected at the February 2019 state governorship election.
“It is shameful [that] when we are working tirelessly to reclaim our mandate in court, some people have started canvassing for next election. We should wait until we reach 2023 and work towards getting our mandate,” Useni said.
“Those who think I will give up my case in court are deceiving themselves. I will never give up. I will pursue this mandate to the Supreme Court until I get back my mandate. I am a dogged fighter, that was why I attended every sitting at the [Election Petition] Tribunal and I appreciate those who were also in attendance throughout.”
Useni explained that in spite of the crisis in the party at the end of the 2019 election, the PDP has remained very strong.
He added that 16 members of the party’s state executive committee have written a petition against the Chairman and his Deputy and accused them of diverting N1.6 billion in campaign funds, demanding that they resign.
“Some people wrote a petition to the National Secretariat and accused the State Chairman, Hon. Damishi Sango, and his Deputy, Hon. Amose Gombi, that they diverted N1.6 billion campaign fund. A committee was set up the Chairman and his Deputy was cleared of such allegations,” he disclosed.
“The petitioners were asked to withdraw the petition and the Chairman was asked to resign and hand over to his Deputy while Sango was appointed as the Board of Trustee Member of the party, and it was stated clearly that I am the leader of the party in the state.”
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emmanuel Go’ar, had moved a motion for the adoption of the resolution of the National Working Committee and seconded by former legislative leader of Jos South Local Government Area, Hon. Ezekiel Dung.
He urged members to ignore their differences and work towards uniting the party to give the people of Plateau hope in light of more pressing matters in the state.