TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE PLATEAU CONCERNED APC YOUTHS
Gentlemen of the Press,
It is with profound pleasure that the some notable and patriotic youths under the auspices of the Plateau Concerned APC Youths come before you today to express our opinion as a Non-governmental Organization on the socio-political issues in our dear State and the Country at large.
Let us first of all, though belated, start by congratulating President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for successfully clocking one year in office, which for us on the Plateau, has indicated and brought some ray of hope in the Country’s quest of surmounting its economic and socio-political challenges. To this end, we have every believe and assurance that things will be better in no distant future based on the policies and recovery templates put in place by the Tinubu administration. Therefore as a group, we want to register and assure Mr President of our unalloyed support to his government.
Gentlemen of the Press, as you are aware, Plateau State has been always in the news for bad reasons as a result of the actions or inactions of the ruling PDP government, which to a large extend has created bottled combustible anger, ready to burst into flames anytime in the State.
Gentlemen of the Press, it is on record that the APC defeated PDP by coming second after the Labour Party, during the presidential election, in spite of the well orchestrated campaign against the Muslim -Muslim ticket of Tinubu/Shettima by the PDP. Regrettable the APC has become a subject of ridicule and mockery because of the way Governor Mutfwang and the PDP have flagrantly violated the constitution and disrespected the rule of law with impunity in Plateau State.
For the first time in the political history of this Country, a sitting Governor could call the bluff an important institution like the judiciary without sanction from any quarters.It is only in Plateau State that the Governor openly disrespected the electoral process and the Constitution by refusing to accept the verdict of the election Petition tribunal. Instead, the governor formulated his own conditions of executing the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal.
A case in point is the situation where the Governor in concert with the the Speaker, who incidentally is from a minority Party, made it mandatory that for the 16 APC members to be sworn- in, they must first of all, write an undated letter of resignation with an affidavit stating that the decision to do was voluntary.
This action is not only autocratic, unheard off, but defied all sense of responsibility, democratic norms and political decency from a person who himself, is a product of democracy as well as the rule of law.
Gentlemen of the Press, as things stand out now, 6 members of the APC who have refused to be coarsed into that unwholesome condition of signing their resignations letters as a precondition for their swearing in, are still been denied and refused to be sworn in by the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly. Unfortunately the action of the governor has deprived six constituencies voices in the legislature for nearly seven months since they won their cases at the election Petition tribunals.
This misuse of power and despicable attitude of the governor has been creating tension and anxiety, to the extent that the patience of most especially, people of the 6 affected constituencies and that of the APC supporters are fast running out,coupled with the kind of provocative innuendoes perpetrated by the Plateau State government.
Regrettably the APC which holds the ace at the centre has been living politically at the mercy of the PDP to the extent that the APC supporters are denied even palliatives and other forms of social interventions sent to the State by the Federal government. This untoward attitude of the Plateau State government has painfully resonated with the APC and made them look like political orphans in the Country.
Gentlemen of Press, permit to also use this opportunity to appeal to Mr President to appoint a Minister from Plateau State.This is to also allow us have a representation at the Federal executive Council.Mr President should safe us from further embarrassment and ridicule by the PDP supporters who constantly delight in making caricature of use for aligning with the Muslim -Muslim ticket.
In conclusion, we want to once more thank you gentlemen of the Press for listening to us, and also hope that our message will be given the widest publicity it deserves.
Thank you for your attention.Signed.
Hon.Gwalson Mutshak.
Co-ordinator.
Kwararafa Reporters 