Report reaching us reveals high degree of disenchantment by some members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State owing to the recent selection exercise for the composition of management committee members across the 17 local government of the state. Recently, Governor Simon Bako Lalong dissolved the former management committee members in the 17 Local Governments who held sway for 2 years. While many observers were of the view that the decision of the governor was a first step towards conducting elections at the third tier system, he quickly made clear his intention of constituting yet another management committee for the 17 Local Government.  Lalong had instructed that the membership of the new committees should have representative from every ward in the state. It was expected that the exercise was to be done by way of consultation and having input of all members of the party in the wards.

However, information reaching us shows that majority stakeholders in the party from various Local Government took advantage of the excercise to settle scores with perceived enemies within the same party while in other local governments it was pure imposition most especially for chairmanship nominees. Consequently, most of the names that finally made the lists are not a reflection of the wish of the people. In some cases, consultations were not even made by stakeholders who were said to have met at locations outside their local government areas and draw a list of names of their choices. In some areas, the exercise ended in fiasco.

A source informed this magazine that in Langtang South, the youth were angry and even attacked stakeholders over the of mode selection of nominees which included only the names of their relatives and friends. We learned that the youth launched a physical attack against the stakeholders who escaped through the windows of the venue of the exercise.

In Langtang North, the exercise also ended in fiasco as members vehemently rejected the nominee for chairmanship who is said to be from the same district with a member of the state EXCO who is further accused of abusing the zoning formula Langtang North has been enjoying. A source informed us that most of the appointments for Langtang North are concentrated in Bwarat District leaving Gazum, Gani and Kuffen Districks with nothing.

In Shendam, it is said that members of the party rejected the chairmanship nominee because he resides in Jos and therefore, not known by many in Shendam which according to observers also falls contrary to the Governor’s instruction that all member nominees must be resident of their localities. When party members press further for the removal of his name, they were said to have been told that he was a nominee of the same Governor Lalong. In Wase, the people are said not to be happy with the nominee for chairmanship who is coming for the second time for reason that he is not a grassroot mobilizer and did not performed well previously. He is also see him as a stooge for a National Assembly Member in the area adding that he will continue doing his bidding instead of serving the people.

In Kanam, the exercise ended with two set of nominees from two opposing groups. One set for a commissioner and the other for a House of Assembly member. The two are said to be at logger heads and hardly see eye to eye. It is further said that the camp of the commissioner met and sat on Monday 17th July 2017 while that of the member sat on Tuesday 18th July, 2017 and came up with different lists. In Kanke, a nominee for the chairmanship from Amper rejected the offer. The offer was extended to another person who resides in Tudun Wada, Jos but he also declined to accept. They were all said not to be comfortable of the fact that the people at the grassroot have been denied elections proper.

In Pankshin, the exercise also ended in fiasco as members of the party staged a walk out at the venue of the exercise. Four candidates had expressed interest in the chairmanship position (two from Pankshin North while two from Pankshin South). It is said that the four agreed that election be conducted to determine a winner but when the election was half way and it was obvious that a particular candidate was going to carry the day, the other three quickly mobilized their supporters and staged a walk out. This magazine learnt that the official however concluded the exercise since none of the contestants protested before the start of the election.

In Bokkos, the chairmanship nominee was vehemently rejected as he is said to be a stooge of a serving National Assembly Member and is also alleged to be involved in anti social activities in the area. However, stakeholders were said to have insisted on him saying that he was a “government” candidate.

In Barkin Ladi, the immediate past chairman who wanted to return was said to have been tricked by a prominent person in government from the local government who is nursing senatorial ambition.

In this regard, the said official is said to have manipulated the chairmanship slot to Fan District, the district of another National Assembly member from the PDP who is also said to be nursing senatorial ambition.

In Riyom, Mangu, Qua’anpan and Mikang and Jos North members of the party alleged that all the chairmanship nominees were imposed on them. In Jos North, a female nominee is said to have spent more than N2million naira to earn her nomination. However, there have been so much hues and cries from different ethnic nationalities resident in Jos North who claimed not to have been carried along despite their involvement and contributions to the party over the years. In Bassa, candidates from the three chiefdoms had expressed interest, after which those candidates from Irigwe chiedom dropped for candidates from Rukuba Chiefdom. This development did not go down well with candidates from Pengana Chiefdom who had earlier pledged with other two chiefdoms to allow them have the chairmanship slot. After series of discussions, all other candidates dropped their ambitions leaving only two all from Rukuba chiefdom. Eventually, it was agreed that an election be conducted to determine a winner. It is said that while the mode of election was being determined, the party chairman was said to have forwarded the name of a particular candidate. This has drawn a lot of condemnation from members of the party.