2023: Plateau Deputy Governor, 17 others to defect from APC

By Kingsley Chukwuka

The Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Sonni Gwanle Tyoden and 17 other governorship aspirants in Plateau State, has said they will leave the All Progressive Congress (APC), if Governor Simon Lalong imposes a candidate on them.

Tyoden said the standard position of the party in Abuja is a laid down guideline for a consensus candidate that must be agreed by all aspirants.

The Deputy Governor stated this on Monday in Jos through a Convener of a press briefing on behalf of the 18 aspirants, Dr. Amos Gizo.

“The Plateau State APC governorship forum has unanimously resolved that before the governorship primary we shall present to the party a consensus candidate who has the quality to win at the general election against other parties’ candidate.

“We have equally resolved that all of us shall join the consensus candidate in his campaign and we shall contribute financially and otherwise to the success of APC in the State.

“If the State party leadership allows those eager on subverting our nascent democracy to thrive, it shall put the State Chapter into crisis and we the 18 aspirants have vowed and agreed to dump the party with our teaming supporters for any party of our choice”, the statement read by Gizo said.

It was gathered that Governor Lalong is rooting for the immediate past INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State, Dr. Nentawe Goshen, which the aspirants tagged as unpopular.

“We all believe this act of subverting democracy has the express approval of the governor just to deny the people’s choice and foist an unpopular candidate that will cause misfortune to the party as their preferred candidate.

“The body language of Lalong, with members of the first family, his wife, father in-law, the Accountant General of the State, Mr. Cyril Tsenyil, the Deputy National Secretary of APC, Mr. Festus Fuanter, anchored by the Plateau House of Representative member at the National Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, all indicated that they are determined to imposing Nentawe Goshen as the party flag bearer in the 2023 general election”, Gizo said.