Barely 24 hours after the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP in
Plateau State announced that it was zoning the 2019 governorship ticket
of the State to the Southern Senatorial district, a former member of the
House of Representatives, Hon. Bitrus Kaze has called on the party to
tender a public apology to the citizenry for not respecting the wishes
of Plateau people in 2015.
Kaze made the call in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST while
reacting to the party’s decision to zone its 2019 gubernatorial position
to the Southern Senatorial District of the State.
He said, “I join other PDP faithful on the Plateau in commending the
Hon. Damishi.T Sango led State Executive Council for it’s sound decision
to zone the 2019-2023 governorship ticket to Plateau South.
“The policy of zoning in the PDP is foundational and the decision of
the Plateau SEC to zone the 2019 governorship to Plateau South is
consistent with the party constitution which requires that such a
decision shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all
levels.
“This decision may have been long in coming given that the PDP NEC
had acted similarly since December 2015, all the same it’s better late
than never”, he maintained.
The PDP Chieftain who represented Jos South/Jos East Constituency in
the House of Representatives between 2007 to 2015, added that, “The
decision remains key for several reasons; first, it confirms that the
denial of zoning on the Plateau in 2015 was a costly mistake as was
earlier determined by the Senator Ike Ekweremadu post election report.
“Secondly, it engenders mutual respect, it demonstrates that the PDP
is responsive to the yearnings of the people, it provides a clear sense
of direction which enables gubernatorial aspirants from Plateau Central
among others to look forward to 2023 and thirdly, it does not
contemplate micro-zoning to any LGA in particular”, he further
explained.
“However, now that the PDP on the Plateau has formally acknowledge
our mistake of 2015, it is only natural for the PDP on the Plateau to
humbly tow the line of our national leadership by tendering a public
apology for not respecting the popular wishes of Plateau people to have
the governorship zoned to Plateau South in 2015.
“Going forward, the party must never allow the rules to be
circumvented as in the previous past when the emergence of delegates to
primary elections was obfuscated questionably.
“On their part, duty beckons on all the PDP gubernatorial aspirants
from Plateau South to make public sacrifice by subscribing to run for a
single tenure, unfortunately this is part of the cost we all have to pay
for our previous mistakes”, he stressed.