From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State has held its first reconciliatory meeting to mend fences with members who contested and lost the recent party primary election in the state.
Chairman of the Party, Hon. Chris Hassan said the meeting was to reconcile aggrieved aspirants who lost the party primaries with a view to going into the general elections together as a united family.
The meeting which was held at Eliel Centre Jos had in attendance all the governorship aspirants who lost to Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, the party’s standard-bearer ahead of the 2023 election.
Mutfwang, who expressed gratitude to members of the party for trusting him with the party ticket, thank those who contested the primaries with him for accepting to rally round for victory in 2023.
“I am very humbled to stand before for this opportunity to stand before you as the governorship candidate of our great party for the 2023 election, I want to say that this is not a responsibility I am taking likely.
“I know that by the grace of God we are on course to bring hope to the people of Plateau State, to restore peace to Plateau State, to bring prosperity to the people of Plateau State. We are on course to restore the dignity and pride of Plateau in the comity of states in Nigeria.
“I will do all I can by the grace of God that we go into the 2023 elections as a united family. I want to place on record the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by my fellow contestants, who individually call to congratulate me after the election.”
Mutfwang explained that out of the 18 aspirants who stood for the party’s primary, with some who eventually stepped down, he has visited not less than 12 of them to work together for the victory of the party.
The gubernatorial candidate said he has also visited eminent leaders of the party which includes, former Governor Jonah David Jang and Gen. Jeremiah Useni and said more leaders of the party and some of the governorship aspirants would be visited.
He said a robust campaign team would be constituted to accommodate all members of the party to work together in unity for the victory of the party.
Pastor Margaret Inusa, who gave a charge described the reconciliation meeting as timely for the party to win the 2023 election and save the state and Nigeria from impunity, corruption, mismanagement, hunger, poverty and insecurity that has bedevilled the country.
“We must focus on what unites us rather than what separates us. We must realise that we all have one common enemy and that enemy is not inside this room, our enemy is out there waiting for us to fail so that they will make a mockery of us. Now that our hands are on the plough, there is no looking back.”
She urged the party’s flag bearer to embrace everyone and shun identity politics, saying: “As you go out campaigning, focus on the problems, focus on the people, focus on the Plateau and nothing else and God will give us victory,” she stated.