The chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) elders in Plateau State, a group tagged Equity and Justice Forum, Prof. Dakum Shown, has said citizens of the state are yet to feel President Goodluck Jonathan’s impact despite their one million votes for him in 2011.

The group threatened to mobilize the Plateau electorate against Mr. Jonathan in the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

“We call on Mr. President and the national chairman and executives of our party not to take PDP’s victory in Plateau State for granted,” Mr. Shown said. “The people who gave Mr. President a million votes are crying out in pain and anguish. Do not ignore them otherwise the consequences could be disastrous.”

The chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) elders in Plateau State, a group tagged Equity and Justice Forum, Prof. Dakum Shown, has said citizens of the state are yet to feel President Goodluck Jonathan’s impact despite their one million votes for him in 2011.

The group threatened to mobilize the Plateau electorate against Mr. Jonathan in the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

“We call on Mr. President and the national chairman and executives of our party not to take PDP’s victory in Plateau State for granted,” Mr. Shown said. “The people who gave Mr. President a million votes are crying out in pain and anguish. Do not ignore them otherwise the consequences could be disastrous.”

Mr. Shown, a former Plateau PDP chairman and now member of the current National Conference in Abujua, spoke on Thursday during a media briefing in Jos, he said the Plateau electorates were yet to fully benefit from Mr. Jonathan’s four years in office.
He said the Plateau people have not taken their rightful place in the sharing of the democratic dividends during the Mr. Jonathan-led administration.

Speaking on the governorship rotation formula in Plateau State, the group insisted that the next governor of the state must come from the southern part of the state since the outgoing governor, Jonah Jang, hailed from the northern axis.
According to the group, Mr. Jang had plans to install his kinsman, Gyang Pwajok, a serving Senator representing Plateau North, to succeed him as governor of the state.

Mr. Shown assured Mr. Jonathan of losing Plateau State during the 2015 election, if the president supported Mr. Jang’s aspirant as governorship flag bearer for PDP.

The group vowed to mobilise the citizens of Plateau State to ensure that Plateau Southern Senatorial zone produced the next governor.

“PDP must stand with the people,” he said. “It’s the people who put governments in power. If our great party decides to stand with the government against the people, it must be prepared to count the costs at the end.”

He also called for the dissolution of the Plateau State chapter of the PDP, saying it was currently being used by the governor to actualise his personal intentions.
“The state exco of the party has shown grave ineptitude and insensitivity to the aims and political aspirations of its members,” he said. “So bad is the situation that the Chairman and his team have surrendered their official functions to the governor and descended to serve as commissioners and appointees on electoral matters which are primarily party functions.”

The group accused Mr. Jang of lawlessness in dealing with state matters.
“The reckless and lawless manner in which PDP conducts its affairs in Plateau State is insensitive and disrespectful to the feelings and expectations of its members. Our desire is to win the general elections.”

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Dakum Shown: Plateau yet to feel Jonathan’s impact despite 1 million votes in 2011