Stakeholders reject Goshwe as Plateau APC guber candidate

Plateau State stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have kicked against purported moves to submit the name of Dr. Nentawe Goshwe to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 poll.

The Progressives Foundation Movement (PFM), led by Jacob Gyang, yesterday, called on the APC National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, to, instead, substitute Nentawe with “an acceptable and popular candidate” to run for the exalted seat.

They enjoined Adamu to summon an all-important meeting with aggrieved aspirants and stakeholders of the party in Plateau to address pending issues affecting the party in the state.

The group stated: “Resist and rescind every form of pressure from Governor Simon Lalong to forward the name of Goshwe, whose authentic membership of our great party remains a doubt to INEC, as the commission’s deadline draws near.

“From among the aggrieved aspirants, pick someone, who is more acceptable and popular and whose membership we are sure of, as a substitute for Goshwe.

“This is more so considering the poor performance of the incumbent administration in the state. Any wonder the governor has literally relocated to Lagos State, where he has been lobbying for the vice presidential slot to Bola Tinubu. We can bet that the party would fail if it banks on the Lalong-led government to retain power in 2023 amid mounting opposition.”

While referencing a June 15, 2022 petition by counsel to 17 delegates of the party during the May 26, 2022 governorship primary in the state, the group said some aggrieved governorship aspirants had staged a walk-out at the venue of the party’s primary election, alleging that the exercise was conducted without an authentic delegates’ list, among other irregularities, including non-adherence to laid down rules and procedures.

“It started with the issuance of a statement by the aggrieved aspirants led by Dr. Patrick Dakums and signed by the secretary, Dr. Danyaro Sarpiya, wherein they outlined some of the core irregularities and breaches of our party’s rules, regulations and guidelines, including the new Electoral Act.

“The complaints, which some of us witnessed, included that there was no delegates’ election in any ward in the state, and that the party supplied forms but up to the period of the primary, there was no information about the delegates’ election,” they added.