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Plateau APC links PDP to
assassination attempt on a member, lauds Gbong Gwom’s plea for peace
By Joseph A. Adudu
March 01, 2019
The Plateau state Campaign Council of the All
Progressive Congress (APC) has linked the main opposition party in the state;
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a failed assassination attempt on Joseph
Chuwak Dalyop (popularly called DJ Tassa). In a statement from the Campaign Council
signed by Jonathan Ishaku, Media, Publicity and Protocol Committee of the
Council stated that the assassination attempt on Dalyop was made last night
while driving with his wife on Domkat Bali road, Jos.
The statement stated that a bullet narrowly
missed Dalyop but not his wife who is said to be lying critically ill in an
undisclosed hospital with a shot to her head. The APC added that there was
clearly a link between the reckless rhetoric of the PDP and the failed
assassination attempt on the APC chieftain stressing that it was a new
dimension in the annals of Plateau State politics. It added that the attempt
was made to incite APC partisans’ violence but that owing to its preaching for
peace, it was able to calm frayed nerves.
The Council further deprecated the frequent linkage of the APC and
Governor Simon Lalong in the en passé by the PDP, especially its Chairman, Chief Damishi T.
Sango.
According to the statement,“The tone of
his press statement dated February 27, 2019 and subsequent action are
unbefitting of a leader of a registered political party. We condemn this as a
ploy to blackmail us ahead of the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections
our party is once again set to sweep.
“We think it
is also an incitement to violence promoted by the very top echelon of the PDP
which has a desperate agenda to win by all means, fair or foul. The security
establishment should hold them culpable should there be a total breakdown of
peace in the state.
“There is
clearly a link between their reckless rhetoric and the failed assassination
attempt on the APC chieftain. This is a new dimension in the annals of Plateau
State politics.”
Consequently, the Council
urged the police and other security bodies to step up pro-active measures to avert
future occurrences.
It also
extricated the APC in the on-going imbroglio stressing that the APC was only
a contestant in the elections along with72 other political parties and that the
conduct of elections was the responsibility of INEC, the independent umpire
whose duty is it to collate and announce result of the ballot.
“It is,
therefore, disingenuous to bring the name of our party and the Governor of the
state into the matter. If the party or the Governor had the electoral leverage
being ascribed to them to determine the names of winners and losers, then why
do they submit themselves to elections as the others?” asked the Council.
The APC
Campaign Council however, deeply appreciated the public plea for peace and
restraint by the highly revered royal father, His Majesty the Gbong Gwom Jos
and Chairman, Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, Da Jacob Gyang Buba,
issued in view of the tension arising over the delay in the announcement of
results of the National Assembly elections conducted on the 23rd
February 2019.
“The Council wholly identifies with the clarion call by His
Majesty and enjoins every peace-loving resident of the state to always toe the
path of peace and orderly conduct and allow the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to carry out its duties.
“As we
pointed out in our last press statement, the delay had indeed provided
merchants of mischief the opportunity to mobilize miscreants with the purpose
of unleashing violence in the state. We are glad that INEC has now finally
announced the results for Plateau North Senatorial zone and we also hope that
they would also handle the Plateau South case in an expeditious manner.
“While the
delay lasted, there was no doubt it was being manipulated by invidious
political forces who desperately want to truncate the atmosphere of peaceful,
fair and free elections which was witnessed at the last polls. They wanted to
cause chaos to scare away voters and blackmail the ruling party in the process”, stated the statement.
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