Former governor of plateau moves again

The defection of former Governor Joshua Dariye to the APC was not totally surprising given the long history of animosity between him and the current leaders of PDP on the Plateau and the equally chummy relations between him and the APC leaders as symbolised by Governor Simon Lalong who was one of his sympathisers in the days of his troubles.

When penultimate Thursday, Senator Joshua Dariye defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, many in the state received the news with mixed feelings.

While those supporting the ruling party welcomed the development, seeing it as an end of the PDP in the state, those in opposition saw the move as inconsequential and at best, a good riddance as they claimed the Senator was not a trusted party man, whom they alleged had always worked at cross-purposes with the party.

Some PDP stalwarts including state party chairman, Damishi Sango, Deputy Chairman, Amos Gombi, Nde Alexander Mwolwus were among those who welcomed his departure.

However, another chieftain, Hon. Bitrus Kaze whom many suspect is also preparing to dump the party disagreed saying that Dariye's defection was a big blow to the Party.

Emergency meeting

Despite the stance of the chieftains, an emergency meeting was convened penultimate Friday at the state secretariat in Jos where the issue took the front burner. The party caucus at the end of the meeting resolved that Senator Dariye should vacate the seat and a call made to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct fresh election for the Plateau Central Senatorial seat.

The Party, in a statement issued after the emergency meeting assured its supporters that Dariye's "so-called decamping to APC will not change, reduce or affect the popularity of the party in the State in any way" and asked the decamped Senator to relinquish the senatorial seat which he won on the platform of the party.

No faction in PDP

A communiqué of the meeting signed by Hon. Amos Gombi, the State Deputy Chairman, read in part: "The Peoples Democratic Party wishes to categorically state that there is no division or faction in the Party contrary to any insinuations. The Peoples Democratic Party strongly condemns his action and demands that he honourably resigns and vacates the seat of Senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial District having become a member of another political Party before the expiration of the period for which he was elected.

The Party Chairman, Damishi Sango, through Gombi stated that he was happy with the defection and the party relieved stressing, "It is cheering news to us; he has never really been a committed member, and this has often caused a lot of confusion among our members. He has always been an enemy from within which is politically very dangerous; his defection did not come to PDP as a surprise.

"During electioneering campaigns last year, he worked against the party in the governorship poll, even after winning the Senate seat on its platform. When he went to the Senate, he never associated with the Party and those elected on its platform. His presence was just a setback. Traditionally, he is supposed to call a consultative forum and even empower his constituents, but he has not done that.

"Over time, he has always lived in grand deception, so his departure is a breath of fresh air for us. Plateau PDP refused to give Dariye a waiver to qualify him for the Party's ticket in 2015, as he was then a member of the Labour Party, he had to rush to the national headquarters where the former Chairman, Ahmadu Muazu, offered him the waiver and the senatorial ticket much to the shock of the state chapter.

Defection to APC

"His defection has only vindicated our stance then. We call on the Federal Government to continue the trial of the former governor over alleged diversion of ecological funds for which he was being prosecuted by the EFCC. His defection to the ruling party should not affect the trial. President Muhammadu Buhari must insist on justice for the people of Plateau."

However, another PDP Chieftain, Nde Alexander Mwolwus described Senator Dariye's action as a shame and an attempt to escape prosecution by anti-graft agencies adding that Dariye's excuse to leave the Party is "flimsy and out of tune with realities."

According to Mwolwus, who lost the Senate ticket to Dariye at the party's primaries, "he is only looking for a soft landing and escape from the anti-graft agencies, which are investigating and prosecuting him. The public is aware that Dariye, who is our former Governor under the platform of PDP, is facing trial for some of his activities while as Governor of Plateau from 1999-2007.

"But the unfortunate thing is that this action cannot save him; APC will not, by this, forgive him all the rots because they claimed to be fighting corruption. I am sad and worried for him (Dariye) especially his political career; I could sense that he is descending politically by that wrong action he took.

Plateau Central Zone has been the most formidable force in the politics of Plateau, but he has disappointed the zone. Nobody that had ruled Plateau would behave the way Dariye did; jumping from ACN to LP to PDP and now to APC."

But Timothy Golu who is the member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam in the House of Representatives cautioned the party against assuming or pretending that Dariye is not a force to reckon with adding, "If we take his departure lightly, it can affect us; this is a wake-up call for Plateau PDP to sincerely put its house in order so as to close the gap created by his exit. We must go the extra mile to tap available opportunities to compensate for the defection so as to give the APC no gap to tear us apart."

Similarly, Kaze who represented Jos South/Jos East in the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015, said that the PDP had lost a "key player and described the development as "unfortunate."

Ailing Party

His words: "This is not a good time for our ailing Party to lose any member to APC, especially a key one like Dariye. He was a two-time governor and currently a ranking senator; so his influence is never in doubt. My plea is that all well-meaning members of the PDP in Plateau must act urgently to end the gale of defections from our fold.

"In any case, Senator Dariye isn't an exception on this count, virtually all political big wigs on the Plateau have at one time or the other defected from one political party to the other. Considering the unfortunate state of PDP at the national and state levels meanwhile, APC and PDP supporters in the State are bickering over the Senator's action with those in the APC claiming that "Dariye is gathering his boys to APC to give support to one of them, Governor Simon Lalong who had been a disciple of Dariye for a very long time" and those in PDP saying "the Senator no longer has any political influence in his zone nor the State and cannot convince anyone to support Lalong in 2019."