A chieftain of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State and Director of Research and Documentation of Professionals in the party, Salama Plangshak, has declared that come 2023, no governor would decide the fate of the electorates.
He equally said the masses will rise against “bad governance, against impunity, against bad economy, against hunger and insecurity” that had continued to bedevil many States across the country.
According to him, governors leaving the PDP for the ruling APC were doing that for their selfish interests, “as none of them has left on account of factions in the party either in their various states or at the national level”.
Plangshak disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, while reacting to the defection of three PDP governors to the ruling APC.
He said though it could be seen as a negative development, it could as well be a golden opportunity for members of the party in the affected states to rejigged the party for better and stronger participation in subsequent elections as the defected governors, never acted in a manner to show that they were truly members of the PDP.
According to him, “Ordinarily, one would say it’s a bad development because it has the tendency of discouraging followers having people of such standing leaving the party.
“But when you look at it critically, these people have never contributed meaningfully to the party. They were never committed to the party.”
“Again, they are leaving for their selfish interests as none of them has left on account of factions in the party either in their various states or at the national level”, he maintained.
Plangshak, who was a Senatorial aspirant in the 2019 general elections further explained that, “Dave Umahi has a Presidential ambition and felt he wouldn’t get the ticket when he is in the PDP, so he left.
“Ben Ayade has never been a PDP person. For the six years that he has been a governor of Cross River, he never attended any PDP function.
“Bello Matawalle became a governor by providence. The consequential Order by the Supreme Court in its judgement in 2019, saw Matawalle benefiting from the PDP votes donated to it by the electorates.
“And I thought this man would be humble and appreciative to the PDP for providing him the platform to become a governor, but he didn’t, probably because he was jittery because Marafa and Shettima have resolved their issues.
“But to me, I believe he could have caused more problems to the APC as a PDP governor and still win the election in 2023 confidently.
“So, you can see that they left for their personal interests and I am happy that the governors did not attribute good performance or good governance by the APC as reason for their defection.”
Speaking about the 2023 general elections, the PDP chieftain said, “But let me intimate you of what I envisaged in 2023. It’s going to be between the governors and Nigeria masses.
“I foresee Nigeria masses rising up to defend their votes and make sure their votes count in 2023.
“Nigeria masses will rise against bad governance, against impunity, against bad economy, against hunger and insecurity.
“Yes, Nigeria masses who are being killed with abandoned recklessness, who are being kidnapped for ransom, who go about on empty stomach not knowing where their meal would come from, who sleep with one eye closed would surely rise against those who have made them suffered the worst form of human degradation.”
“Let me tell you, in 2023, no governor would decide the fate of the masses any more”, Plangshak stressed.
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