In politics, opposition is a vital ingredient depending on how it plays the game. An opposition which constructively criticizes the incumbent is doing a great service to the country, but one which does not, instead uses vulgar and insults without facts, is nothing but a braying ass.
There are so many innuendos propagated against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the Plateau in attempts to demonize the party and all those that support it, but the question here is how bad is the APC?
Is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) better in terms of governance?
Let’s go memory lane to see, before coming to analyze the APC.
Chief of Obafemi Awolowo said, “Leadership is all about the welfare of the people.” Welfare encompasses security of lives and properties, job creation, education and health.
Let’s take security. Since after the Emergency Rule slammed on the state by the Olusegun Obasanjo led Presidency on May 28, 2004 to October 28 of the same year, ethno-religious crises ended on the Plateau.
But after the palace coup the chased the Dariye led PDP out of the party, and the Jonah Jang/Ibrahim Mantu faction formed government in the state, it ushered in a terrible divisive administration that has set the state on ethno-religous crises since October 2008 to 2015 when it abated.
What led to the crises were the undemocratic party primaries conducted in 2008 by the Jang administration where he imposed his candidate for Jos North Local Government chairmanship election, Timothy Buba.
Jang was advised by stakeholders and DSS against conducting the elections in Jos North due to the rising tension, but blatantly refused until he rigged the elections, and the local government went on flames and the crises spread to some parts of Jos South leading to so many deaths. The following year, that was 2009, witnessed terrible attacks on villages in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South, where citizens were made refugees in their local governments. The attacks continued into the second term of Jonah Jang, where Goodluck Ebele Jonathan slammed emergency rule without suspending democratic structures on Six Local Governments of the Northern Zone, for six months but to no avail.
In 2012, a peace parley was held at Hill Station Conference Hall where Jang was advised to hold a meeting with religious leaders and stakeholders in Jos North and South to douse the incessant crises, but he replied saying the Gbong Gwom can do that, as for him, he will not. And that when the Operation Rainbow comes in place, peace will be restored.
In the same 2012, most elder statesmen from the Central and Southern Zones agitated for the creation of South Plateau State because of the oppressive policies meted to them by the Jang administration.
The same administration brought out a policy of forcing all local government employees to go back to their state of origin and work but could not implement it before the expiration of his tenure.
All communities which were given new districts, local government development areas and promoted traditional institutions by the Dariye administration, were deprived off the dividends by the PDP administration, when Jang dissolved them. That compounded anger and bitterness in the mind of the affected indigenes of the communities.
The same Jang who made bogus claims that his Military experience will restore peace in Plateau, lamented in 2014 that he did not know why God made him governor, as he woke up every morning to the news of the attack on his people.
On May 27, 2013, at Faithway Chapel in Jos, Jang said If you rig elections and succeed, God approves it.
It was rigging that plunged the bloodbath in Plateau in 2008.
The PDP failed in tackling insecurity because of its style of leadership.
Gov Lalong inherited it, and drastically reduced it.
EDUCATION
The PDP administration did not value education if not, why did Jang close down Plateau State University Bokkos, until he was defeated in court by Professor John Wade and was forced to reopen it?
How many schools did Jang construct? How many teachers did he employ for his eight years in power? Teachers in the primary schools went on strike for three solid months.
There was no improvement on the schools he met on ground aside repainting few of them without equipping their laboratories.
HEALTH
The PDP has no record of constructing and completing hospitals under Jang. The one he tried was that of Barkin Ladi.
During the Ebola saga, he was foot dragging until it was over without making preparation eventually it reaches Plateau.
EMPLOYMENT
Over 1500 youths lost their job at MTN when their station in Jos was closed as a result of Jang’s policies. Many companies left Jos and closed due to the incessant crises under Jang, thus making a lot of people to lose their job.
No ministry or local government made employment under Jang except silent replacements.
JIB was not totally grounded when Jang came to power, but he left it dead.
The PDP left seven months salary arrears of civil servants, three months of no work, no pay, six months of security operatives allowances and over year arrears of pensioners.
These are just a few of the anti people led administration of the PDP on the Plateau. TO BE CONTINUED
Freelance Reporters 