APC convention, a family affair, says Plateau guber aspirant, Podar

By Kingsley Chukwuka

A governorship aspirant in the 2023 Plateau State guber election, Mr. Johnson Poder, has said the forthcoming February 26th National Convention of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), is a family affair where there will be no loser or winner.

Poder said all party members going for the convention should have only one thing in mind which is the success of the party.

The guber aspirant stated this in Jos at the weekend while interacting with our correspondent on the giant strides taken by the party to ensure victory at all levels of elections.

“Our Convention is a family affair and I am urging all members to treat it as such. All we seek for is to produce a party leader that will lead us into another round of election’s victory in the 2023 general election, as well as stabilize the party and produce leaders that will effectively pilot the affairs of this country”, he said.

On the just concluded APC party primary election in the State for Jos North-Bassa federal constituency, Pador said the outcome of the exercise might divide the party if aggrieved APC members are not pacified.

He noted that the venue for the inconclusive election was not acceptable by many arguing that the precedent set might have ripple effect in the future.

Recall that the immediate past Commissioner for Commerce in Plateau State, Hon. Abbey Aku, was declared winner of a rerun primary election of the APC.

The bye-election was earlier declared inconclusive, as two candidates tie after scoring 344 votes each.

It would also be recall that, former House of Representatives members, Hon Sulieman Yahaya Kwande, and Hon Lumumba Dah Adeh contested for the primary election.

At the end of the exercise, Suleiman kwande and Abbey tied, making it mandatory for the umpire to reschedule the primary for a rerun as required by electoral law.

The rerun of the exercise was however moved to Jebu Bassa, in Bassa local government area, away from the previous venue held in Jos North.

However, Pador argued that the inconclusive election should not have been moved to Bassa, rather should have been conducted at the LGA headquarters in Jos North, so that nobody will feel shortchanged.

“Moving the inconclusive primaries to Bassa LGA is setting a bad precedent, because tomorrow any other person could say let’s move it to my place of choice since it was done in time past.

“But haven said this, it does not mean we won’t work to ensure that the party emerges victorious at the February 26th  secondary election”, Podar said.