Nigeria: Plateau Election – Opposition Parties to Present One Candidate

Jos — The conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Plateau State is to adopt a consensus candidate for the forthcoming Plateau North senatorial by elections in the state.

Our correspondent learnt that the conference made up of opposition political parties in the state, decided on the measure in order not to go into the election individually but as a united lot to enhance the chance of one of its own winning the senatorial election.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State is likely to field former chief of staff to the Plateau State governor, Mr. Gyang Pwajok who resigned his appointment last week as its candidate.

The opposition parties according to sources fear that with the resources and support of the governor which Pwajok has, it will be more strategic to team up and unite to ensure their victory at the polls.

Plateau State CNPP chairman, Mohammed Yusuf Kanam, who confirmed this to our correspondent said the CNPP is already considering a viable candidate to challenge whoever becomes the candidate of the PDP in the state.

“We will talk with one voice so that we can defeat the PDP, because it is all over in the country that the party which is giving us lots of problems is the PDP, so the opposition will team up and choose a very strong candidate that will be popular with the good people of the Plateau North senatorial zone,” the CNPP chairman said.

Among those likely to be considered by the CNPP are Chris Giwa and Rufus Bature from the ACN, as well as Danladi Atu and Lumumba Adeh from the Labour Party.

Our correspondent learnt that the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) will however not be presenting a candidate for the elections as it is ready to support the candidate presented by the CNPP.

A source close to the national chairman of the party said the party is more interested in seeing that an acceptable candidate wins the election and will not support any move that will further weaken the unity of the opposition parties in the state.

Col. John David Dungs and Stephen Mato Tambaya are however said to be interested in the DPP ticket.

Kanam however also confirmed to Daily Trust yesterday that his office had received a letter from INEC which fixed September 15, as the ‘tentative’ date for the by-election, a date which he said would most likely not work.

“We are talking about a month from now,” Mohammed Kanam observed, asserting, “I don’t see how we can do our respective primaries and pick candidates and then campaign for the election, all within the next one month.”