Gyang Bere, Jos
A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governorship aspirant, Architect Samuel Nanchang Jatau, said Plateau people have become refugees in their state following the inept leadership style of Governor Simon Lalong.
He described as pathetic the manner in which displaced children and women sleep under the rain and cold weather without food at the internally displaced camps across the state with no drastic action by the APC government.
Jatau disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview with Journalists in Jos and vowed to spend only one tenure, if given the mandate to respect the unwritten zoning arrangement in the state.
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“I am contesting the governorship election because the present government has failed to provide the needed leadership for the people of Plateau state, we have issues of insecurity that is fast consuming the state, and we have lost our identity. What bother me the most is that we have become tenants in our own land.
“Anybody who have love for Plateau state cannot sit back and watch, and continue to complain. That is what we have been doing over the years, we keep complaining and accusing our leaders, so I felt I can do better than what the present government has offered that is why i offer myself to contest the governorship election.
“I have a conviction that i will provide credible leadership that will enthrone peace and security, better education, create wealth and employment opportunity for the people based on the passion and vision I have for the state.
“I will work for the unity of the 52 ethnic groups in the state and for the prosperity of the people. No matter how fantastic and lovely your ideas are without peace and security, nothing will be achieve.
“Today, we have about 17,000 Internally Displaced Persons in the IDPs camps catered around the state, passing through trauma and agony, and that has given me cause to worry. We have children and women who are sleeping under the rain and very bad sanitary condition without food, no clothing but we have a government in place.”
Jatau advised the PDP to allow a free, fair and credible party primaries and urged the governorship aspirants to embraced and support whoever will emerged as party’s candidate to avoid a repeat of what led to the defeat of the party in 2015.
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He vowed to work with all aspirants if he emerge the party’s candidate to kick APC out of power in 2019.
Jatau said his government will restore the monthly meeting of Plateau elders to marshal plans for the unity and peace of the state.
“Presently, we are divided along tribal and religious lines on the Plateau and that is our biggest enemy, that has hindered our progress because tribalism and religion are issues that always come up when we begin to talk about Plateau.
” There is need for us to begin to see ourselves as one Plateau, we need to begin to see ourselves as brother’s keepers to an extend that if people are attacked in Riyom, it should be seen as an attack on the Plateau and not Berom, and the whole of Plateau will collectively respond, there is need for us to have the mind set of an injury to one, is an injury to all.”