A Press Statement

By

The Jerry Useni Campaign Organisation (JUCO), issued on 29th October, 2018.

Dear esteemed party faithfuls, ladies and gentlemen of the press. It gives us great pleasure to address you today on an emerging issue, coming soon after our principal’s popular victory at the PDP Gubernatorial Primaries.

The Jerry Useni Campaign Organisation (JUCO) has followed the arguments that has trailed the selection of Dr. James David Dalok by our Principal the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Plateau State, Sen. JT Useni as his running mate for the 2019 governorship elections. It is incumbent that JUCO makes a statement to clarify her position visa viz the position of the Candidate.

 Let us start by first expressing our heartfelt joy at the conduct and outcome of the primaries, for the party emerged stronger, better and more united. Second, we are delighted at the spontaneous jubilation that greeted our principal’s emergence as the PDP Candidate. We see these reactions as expressions of faith and hope by our people who have not obtained the full benefit of governance in the recent past.

Since our Principal’s  emergence, he received several delegations from different interest groups, mainly to congratulate him on his victory and to offer hands of partnership to develop our state and set it on the path of growth and development. He also received names of possible running mates. Let us say this: He told us that at a certain point, he was informed that there were more than 15 eminently qualified individuals from Plateau Central Zone, in line with the party’s zoning arrangement. This is the highest number of potential running mates ever  emerged for selection as gubernatorial running mates in the annals of our State. To our delight, all the names suggested were not only very qualified, but they are technocrats of proven competence, or politicians of great influence and abilities. However, he could not swim in the pool of these qualified people, thus, he sort the counsel of the party at the state level which eventually gave him 3 names: Hon. Benedict Shignuhul 58, Dr. James Dalok 52, Hon Moses Tangsan 66.  He was therefore left with the difficult task of choosing the very best from these three exceptionally good candidates.

After due consultations, and based on his personal convictions, our Principal narrowed this list to a fine gentleman whose records in public service are stainless, and an embodiment of efficiency, and who was the youngest in the person of Dr. James David Dalok.

Even though some people have expressed reservations on the choice of Dr. James David Dalok as the running mate of Sen. JT Useni on the grounds that he is not well known, no one has faulted this choice on the basis of his competence and track record. His CV is available for all to see, his achievements as a career civil servant are impressive, his integrity is spotless. These are the issues that should take centre stage. No doubt, popularity is important but isn’t popularity a relative term? Popularity is defined by time, opportunity, human agents, the media, and even propagandists.

No one is born popular; people become popular when they get the opportunity to serve, and they become popular within the jurisdiction of the service they rendered. Many people who argue that Dr. Dalok is not popular fail to learn from our recent history on the Plateau and Nigeria: people’s political popularity increases when they are given the opportunity to serve. To say that Dr Dalok is not popular is not true. Within his area of influence, he has become a shining light in philanthropy and community service. Remember the dictum that every politics is local. In his area of influence, Dr. Dalok is popular. This is a fact.

This point has to be made that those who are against the choice of Dr. Dalok and those who promote his candidacy have one thing in common: they desire to see a new, forward thinking, and competent leadership installed in Little Rayfield on the 29th May 2019. They both desire to see the party regain power for the purpose of service and good governance. This should be our focus. Let us not let our enemies ridicule us and use this incident to sow a seed of discord within the party.

Let us explore antecedents of people who sprang from unknown to victory on the Plateau. There are two persons that come to mind, who were not known in the political sphere of Plateau Sate but contested for governorship and won. The first was a core civil servant in the State. He had never engaged in any partisan political activity nor contested any election prior to his emergence as governor. The second was a mainline private person and businessman. He had not been known before contested elections, yet he emerged as the governor of the State. People asked questions on who they were at the respective time both came up for the contest.

More exploration on memory lane would make us, remember what happened during Gov. Joshua Dariye’s selection of a running mate. He initially announced Mr Steven Kibadau from Bassa LGA as his running mate. Forces of coercion and influence demanded for a replacement of Mr. Kibadau with Mr. Michael Bot-Mang citing ethnic reasons, and that Mr. Kibadau was not a  known politician. Gov. Dariye gave in. We all remember how that partnership ended. Mr. Bot-Mang was totally sidelined and didn’t really add value to the office. We are facing a similar situation today concerning the relationship between the current Governor and his Deputy. Their relationship is anything but cordial. The current deputy governor is seen as a non-performer even in his community. We have seen that where the choice of a deputy is just a marriage of convenience, the office of deputy is made redundant.

An example of cordially in governance that suffices is the one during the last dispensation where there was a very smooth relationship between the Governor and his Deputy (even though they had some misunderstanding only at the end when it came to the issue of succession). The cordial relationship in the governance of the State during that time was based on the Candidate’s initial choice of who he wanted to work with as his Deputy. The candidate did not allow any imposition. In fact, he did not give any room for such at all levels.

To show that popularity is a function of media mention, have you not noticed that in the few weeks after Dr. Dalok’s name came up as potential choice for the running mate his popularity has soared? Since his emergence on the political landscape, his popularity has been on the rise. He is scandal free, corruption free, and a clear example of the potentials that reside in each one of us, whether we were born with a silver spoon, with a wooden spoon, or without a spoon at all. The point here is that popularity is a matter of opportunity, time and space.

We cannot say that Dr. Dalok is totally not known even to his immediate community. As expected, he has been in the civil service throughout out his career and would not be known in open partisan political engagements. However, he is quite known in community service and philanthropist activities by his immediate community of Mangun. For example, in March this year, Dr. James David Dalok was awarded a certificate of recognition of community service. The certificate dated 31st March, 2018, signed by His Royal Highness Da. Job Ali Damiyal, JP reads:

“The Mangun Traditional Council, Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State. Certificate of AWARD: The Mishkaham Mangun and the Traditional Council, in appreciation of the Selfless Service Rendered. The Community here by presents this DISTINGUISHED MERIT AWARD to DR. JAMES DALOK. The Traditional Council, on behalf of the Community, appreciates your immense contributions towards the growth and development of our land, and prays God to crown your efforts with great success and good health.”

When members of the Mangun Traditional Council on behalf of the community offered the prayer for God to crown Dr. James Dalok little did they know he would soon be named the gubernatorial running mate and will be the Deputy Governor by God’s grace come 2019. Many people who attained positions of popularity were not offered such recognition by their communities before their opportunity for public service came.

Dr. James Dalok has touched so many lives through his philanthropic gestures and had sponsored activities within his community and assisted the development of the party. It is a known fact that Dr. James Dalok is not alien to Sen. JT Useni as insinuated in some quarters who suggest that Dr. Dalok was imposed on him as running mate. Sen. JT Useni is convinced that Dr. Dalok is a competent, young, and energetic team player whose popularity is upwardly mobile.

It is one thing to be widely known but it is another to be popular. Some people are known but not popular. However, one cannot be popular if he/she is not known.

While the argument about popularity is going on, let us remember that popularity is not the only yardstick for good governance. It is important to always remember that a cordial relationship between a governor and his deputy is also important. In the final analysis, our candidate, when he becomes the governor, is going to work with his deputy to deliver on our promises to the people. Our candidate has implicit trust in the competence of Dr. Dalok. Let us respect his decision, since we overwhelmingly trusted in his own candidacy in the keenly contested primaries. We remember so well, even here on the Plateau how a frosty relationship between governors and their deputies had slowed down governance and messed up our politics. We do not want a reenactment of those incidences.

We therefore solicit your support, to accept the voluntary choice of our candidate. Let it also be mentioned that all the other people who were being considered as running mates are imminently qualified, each with his strength and competence, and this is a good thing for our party as we have a good pool of competent people who can serve the state in various capacities going forward.

Finally, we are convinced that the arguments about the choice of a running mate are borne out of sincere concern for PDP’s electoral victory. Let us not reduce the quality of arguments by an undue emphasis on popularity, as if everything starts and ends with it. We count on your understanding and trust as we prepare and strategize for the February elections. Let our unity send fear and trembling in the minds of our detractors and the outgoing government in Little Rayfield. This should be our focus.

Long live the PDP.

Long live Plateau State

Sigd:

Prof. Dimis Mai-Lafia

DG, Jeremiah Useni Campaign Organization (JUCO).

For and on behalf of all the Directos and Coordinators of  JUCO.