Plateau PDP crisis deepens as Useni’s camp tackles Jang

There are fears that the crisis of confidence between former Governor Jonah Jang and Sen. Jeremiah Useni within the Plateau State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may spoil the party’s chances in the next election.

A youth activist and spokesperson for the Useni group, Emmanuel Macham, raised the apprehension when he disclosed that Jang’s continued attacks on the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, would attract negative consequences for the party.

Macham accused Jang’s aides and supporters of hiding under the elder statesman’s integrity to technically launch themselves into the coffers of Rivers State.

He stated, yesterday: “The persistent media war credited to Jang against Atiku and Ayu has great negative implication and can escalate the crises into hostilities capable of crippling daily activities of the party in the state.

“Definitely, the formidable Useni group in Plateau detests injustice, which has recently attracted productive membership capable of undermining any political interest. Surprisingly, on what point and moral ground can they call for Ayu’s resignation, despite what Ayu did for them? Ayu refused to adhere to the constitution of our party in dissolving the state executive and even expressly ignored court judgments against them, which made them to continue to parade themselves as authentic PDP leaders in the state.

“The guerrilla attacks against the party and other respected Nigerians has the tendency of sharply widening the cracks in the state chapter into more interest groups, tribal and religious blocs against their anointed gubernatorial and other candidates across the state.”

While urging Jang to humbly withdraw further membership of Wike’s camp, no matter what benefits that accrues therefrom, Macham said the wider negative repercussions on the fortunes of PDP in Plateau could be far-reaching.

“There could be retaliations across Plateau in the coming days through the same media or through the ballot box, if the continuous attack against the national headquarters and Atiku persists,” he added.

Neither Jang nor his aides were prepared to respond to the claims by Macham, even as one of the former governor’s aides described Macham and his group as bad losers.