Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press
Further to the Press Statement issued by the PDP Plateau State
Chapter on the above subject matter, we the people of Plateau Central
Senatorial District, the constituency that Distinguished Senator JOSHUA CHIBI
DARIYE has been representing in the Red Chambers are compelled to put the
records straight.
We understand that in his letter of defection to the Senate
President, he hinged his decision on the following:
Abandonment of PDP to APC by his supporters; and
Division in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
As people of Plateau Central Senatorial District, we wish to
unequivocally refute in very strong terms the reasons adduced by our Senator
for his defection from the PDP to the APC. We make bold to state that this was
a typical solo decision by the Senator without consideration for others, even
his closest supporters.
As earlier alluded to, Chief Dariyes political trajectory
points to only one thing, perpetuating his selfish political interest rather
than serving the people. That is why he always crossed over from one party to
other in a quest to remain relevant. Although he started in the PDP in 1998, he
influenced the then Speaker (now Governor) Rt. Hon. S. B. Lalong and thirteen
other members of the Plateau State House of Assembly to defect to the then
Action Congress (AC) the result of which they lost their Seats while he
remained as the Governor in PDP and never showed any sign of remorse. He
defected to Labour Party (LP) and won to the Senate in 2011. Attempts by one of
his fellow contestants, Nde Alexander Molwus to verify the waiver he
was allegedly granted by the PDP National Headquarters to contest the Primaries
in the Court of law was curiously frustrated by Chief Dariye using his well
paid team of lawyers.
But did he actually return? With the benefit of hindsight, we
can now boldly say that having used the Labour Party platform to further his
self interest, Chief Dariye found it was no longer useful for him so he dumped
it. We are reliably informed that he never attended a single meeting of the
Labour Party nor contributed any kobo to the Party since he got elected on
their platform! He then moved on to his next target and started pretending to
mend fences with those he had betrayed before he left the PDP persuading them
to accept him back as a changed man. He went to great lengths even humiliating
himself in the process just to be covered from shame by the big umbrella of the
PDP. He eventually had his way through guile and deceit. As true party men and
women, we fully supported him as our candidate despite our lingering doubts as
to his sincerity. We were glad that our great party won to consolidate the fact
that Plateau is the home of PDP!
Alas Chief Dariye began to show his true colours as soon as he
became the flag bearer of the PDP for the 2015 General elections. As the
elections gathered momentum, his key associates and bootlickers whose political
party is Dariye wherever he goes began to openly canvass support for the
accidental APC! He only supported PDP for the purpose of his own election but
never identified with other PDP candidates for other elections. We watched with
shame and disbelief how someone who got elected on the platform of the PDP a
couple of weeks earlier would turn round to bite the fingers that fed him. It
is worthy of note that on account of his false pledge of allegiance, he requested
for and was entrusted with huge PDP resources which he used for other purposes
other than garnering support for the PDP!
Despite the above, we in the PDP had in the spirit of
reconciliation thought we could still travel together with Chief Dariye. Unfortunately
he keeps blowing hot and cold. While he actively participated in the processes
leading to the Congresses that produced party officials from the ward to the
state level successfully, he thereafter became aloof to invitations to party
functions. We are constrained to conclude that he had hoped that the congresses
would throw up officials he could have manipulated for his selfish ends. Having
failed, he proceeded with his plan B by returning to where his heart and soul
had always been, the APC!
Permit us to bring to your notice that before the defection,
Senator Dariye had commissioned a Skills Acquisition Programme which is being
coordinated by his erstwhile Secretary to the State Government, ( an APC
Stalwart) Nde Ezekiel Gomos. It is worthy of note that all the participants are
APC members. The Senator did not even have the courtesy of asking the PDP at
whatever level to send in nominees among the teeming number of our party
faithful who toiled day and night to see him elected. This confirms to us that
he had long severed his umbilical cord with the PDP before 22nd September when
he cross carpeted on the floor of Chambers.
We wish to however state that the Senators decision did not come
to us as surprise. It has been in the rumour mill for several weeks that he had
concluded plans to formally defect to the APC. Rumours abound that he has been
promised a soft landing in his trial for corruption by the same APC government
that pretends to be fighting corruption. While we wish him well in his pursuit,
we wish to state that the PDP family in Plateau Central Senatorial District
truly feels relieved that someone whom we have always held in high esteem but
has never brought any benefit to the District is finally showing his true
colours. Senator Dariyes penchant for cross carpeting to further his personal
interest as earlier articulated is well known. Be rest assured that this time,
he is going without any support as the people are tired of aiding him in his
selfish and self serving pursuits.
For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that there is no
division whatsoever in the PDP. It is therefore clear that Senator Dariyes
decision to defect was a unilateral decision taken by him. He did not consult
any organ of the party. We therefore see his defection as an act of betrayal of
trust. We have therefore met at all relevant levels of the party in the State
and hereby pass a vote of no confidence on Senator Joshua Chibi Dariye and
therefore can no longer have him as our representative in the hallowed Red
Chambers.
In view of the above, we want to place on record the collective
and undivided support and appreciation of the PDP family in Plateau Central
Senatorial District for the steps so far taken by the State EXCO of our great
party to re-claim our mandate. We call on the Distinguished Senate President to
urgently do the needful as requested by our Party by declaring the seat being
unlawfully occupied by Senator Dariye vacant. Fortunately for us in the PDP,
the Supreme Court has ruled in a number of cases including the recent Judgment
in respect of the Kogi State Gubernatorial elections that votes lawfully scored
during an election belong to the Party and not the individual!
We call on INEC to immediately, upon receipt of the Declaration
of Vacancy from the Senate President to issue a certificate of return to Nde
Alexander Molwus who came second in the PDP primaries so that Plateau Central
Senatorial District would have an honest, competent, effective and caring
representation in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We urge the Senate President and INEC to do all that is in their
power to protect our fragile democracy.
Long Live the rule of Law!
Long Live democracy in Nigeria!
Long Live the PDP!
Long Live Plateau Central Senatorial District!
Long Live the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Long Live Nigeria!
Hon. Benedict Shignuhul (KSM)
Vice Chairman, Plateau Central District
