BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY TAROK POLITICAL YOUTH VANGUARD.

Our attention has been drawn to a press statement trending on social media platforms to the effect that the Tarok Elders Forum has endorsed the gubernatorial aspiration of Sen. (Gen) Jeremiah Timbut Useni as the sole aspirant of Tarok extraction for the 2019 gubernatorial elections in Plateau State.

In a statement signed by Selchang Miner and Danjuma Rimdan as Chairman and Secretary of the Tarok Elders’ Forum respectively, the press release purported that Sen. Useni represents the interest of all stakeholders in the affairs of Tarok land, while calling on other ethnic nationalities in the state to support Useni’s aspiration. We want to state without equivocation that nothing can be farther from the truth.

In as much as we would welcome a genuine consensus where a credible Tarok aspirant would be chosen from among the plethora of Tarok aspirants to gun for the governorship of the state come 2019, and enjoy the support of his co-aspirants and the entirety of the Plateau voting population for the next gubernatorial elections, we would not be cajoled into accepting a fraudulent and self serving contraption by a group of elders to subvert the wishes and aspirations of a larger majority in an effort to massage the egos of one of their own.

For the avoidance of doubt, we are not directly or indirectly associated with any of the Tarok aspirants, neither are we fronting for any particular aspirant, but we canvass for a level playing ground where every eligible contestant would be allowed to exercise his franchise. Our position is predicted on the fact that the candidate being touted as the endorsed aspirant of the elders, offends the spirit and letters of the Not Too Young to Run campaign being championed in Nigeria, that metarmophosed in the promulgation of an Act to that effect.

Not only did the position of the elders portray the Tarok nation as lacking the requisite human resources to turn around the fortune of the state, by presenting a man who should be enjoying his retirement after a meritorious national service, but also, for their selfish interests, are telling the world that the army of eligible Tarok sons and daughters vying for the governorship cannot be trusted with leadership, which action we consider treacherous.

If we keep mute to this brazen injustice and outright mortgage of our future by those who have already build empires for their tenth generations, we shall forever remain in their whimsical servitude. The chain of this generational supremacy must be cut now.

On this note, we fully align with the position of the Langtang North and South PDP to the effect that any Tarok son and daughter aspiring for the governorship of Plateau state under the party should go ahead and obtain their expression of Interest and nomination forms and go ahead with their campaign, as their fate can only be decided by the party at the primary elections.

The Langtang North and South chapters of the PDP frowned at the elders for purportedly conducting a consensus for PDP aspirants without deeming it fit to involve the party in the process, which action further goes to confirm the premeditated position of the so called elders for organizing the consensus.

The elders’ bias was made manifest by their outright rejection of the report of the 13-man consensus committee that favoured a different aspirant from the one they presented. The committee was in the best position to arrive at a more liberal consensus aspirant, because of its composition which encompasses ALL interests in Tarok land. But coming up with a different committee comprising of only the elders to review the report of a larger committee can only breed suspicion and ill feelings among the aspirants.

As we end this press release, we make bold to say, without mincing words, that the hallmark of eldership is speaking the truth and standing by it at all times; but where elders chose to act in a manner inconsistent with their social standing, they are likely to lose their respect in the eyes of the younger generation, and the society in general.

Signed: INNOCENT Tali, Chairman

Manchang Nimnan: Secretary.i

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Taroh Political Youth Vanguard Disowns Endorsement of Sen. Useini by Taroh Elders