Former Governor of Plateau State and member of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Jonah Jang has described a group known as Plateau for Atiku group as blind followers who are ignorant of the principles of justice, equity and fairness in the PDP, saying principles of the founding fathers is what held the party to where it is today.
Jang in a press statement issued on Friday in Jos by his Media Consultant Clinton Garuba while reacting to a statement credited to the group to have disowned Sen. Jang for asking the National Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Iyiorchia Ayu to resign for equity and justice.
It would be recalled that the Plateau Atiku group headed by the former Secretary during the Jang administration Prof. Shedrack Best who is also the interim Secretary of the group frowned at the former Governor’s penchant for making statements that are not in tune with the stakeholders of the state.
Our correspondent reports that Jang has been a member of Governor Nyesom Wike’s camp which has insisted that the National Chairman should resign for equity and justice.
But, Jang in a statement told the Atiku group that they should know that in pursuit of truth, he is always prepared to tow the lonely path.
“Our attention has been drawn to a publication purportedly issued by a certain unknown group dubbed Plateau for Atiku group and signed by its Protem Secretary, Prof. Shedrack Best. The group in the said publication alleged that Plateau PDP stakeholders disowned Sen (Dr), Jonah David Jang, for asking the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu to resign.
“Perhaps it is important to school the said group, which has arrogated to itself the noble position of stakeholders, which it indeed is not, of the dynamics of the politics of the PDP to which they are latter-day entrants. They may have been carried away by blind followership to know that Sen. Jang and the other founding fathers of the PDP built it on the principles of justice, equity and fairness and it is these principles that held the party to where it is today.
“Subverting the constitution of the party’s long-held tradition of inclusiveness is a sure way to derail the party from getting back to its winning ways.
“Senator Jang and the real stakeholders in the party are not surprised that such a publication is authored by Prof. Shedrack Best who is still aggrieved and sulking over his loss in the recently held primaries of the PDP in Plateau State.
“He needs to let go of the bitterness against Jang as he is not responsible for his loss, as the stakeholders agreed then that, the delegates voted for aspirants and only one winner could emerge.
“It is true that Senator Jang and other prominent members of the party have been with Governor Nyesom Wike in the fight to entrench truth, equity and the need to give all members a sense of belonging and they have also made it clear that it is to move the party forward and lead it to victory at the polls.
“Those who have followed Jang closely will attest to the consistent history of Jang as it relates to truth and fairness, such that as a sitting Governor, he once challenged a sitting President of Nigeria who was also a member of the same political party ( PDP) in court.
“Several calls have been made to the party to salvage the situation and resolve the issues arising from the outcome of the presidential primaries but it seems all calls fell on deaf ears. Instead of reinforcing the call on the leadership of the party to do the right thing, it is unfortunate that the so-called unknown stakeholders are seeking relevance by using the name of Senator Jang as a launching path. They could go ahead with supporting former Vice President Atiku Abubaker without dragging Senator Jang into their journey to infamy.
“They should make no mistake either, about the fact that Senator Jonah Jang does not have anything personal against His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar as those in this journey of infamy will recall that in 2019, mobilized his resources in support of Atiku despite the fact funds made available for the campaigns was in an attempt to ridicule Jang sent to the wrong persons.
“Former Governor Jang has decided to go with the group that believes in the truth and is not surprised that this group of “stakeholders” is not in agreement with the path he has chosen. He did not envisage that everyone will agree with him but he is working based on his conviction that the truth must be told in the interest of the party.
“Every loyal party man or woman is indeed wishing for a peaceful resolution of the self-inflicted and avoidable internal crisis rocking the party and Jang believes that those who have the interest of the party at heart should insist that the right thing is done for the PDP to take its rightful place of pride as the only truly democratic party.
“Senator Jang and others have made their call loud enough for anyone who wants to listen and the call remains that in the interest of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu should resign as the national chairman of the PDP. That is the just, fair and equitable thing to do, to pave the way for the r resolution of the crisis and set the party on the path to winning the 2023 presidential elections”.
