Plateau PDP Tussle: Jang Surrenders

JOS, Sept 21, (THEWILL) - Indications have emerged that the Plateau State Governor Jonah David Jang has given up on his insistence on controlling the machinery of the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

The governor has forwarded a power sharing agreement to the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja that will give him only 50 percent control of the party structure in the state.

The executive Committee of the PDP in the state led by Professor Dakum Sghown was handpicked by the governor thereby allowing him full control of the party structure.

But the state governor today announced the redeployment of the party Chairman, Professor Dakum Sghown as his political adviser to give way to the demands of the opposition members of the party who want a new EXCO constituted for the party in the state.

Jang had refused to permit a dissolution of the state EXCO of the party by the national secretariat of the PDP. He had also failed to recognize the caretaker committee of the party in the state.

THEWILL gathered that as the party primaries drew nearer, Mr. Jang had feared that he may be excluded completely from the running of the party structure in the state. Following the governor’s fear, he removed his political adviser, Williams Ayuba and deployed him to the nondescript Special duties portfolio while Shown became his new political adviser.

Jang, THEWILL gathered had also forwarded the names of his two loyalists, Silvanus Lot and Haruna Dabit so that one of them is considered as Chairman of the new EXCO.

But party sources have indicated that those opposed to Jang have rejected this move and have advised the national secretariat of the party not to allow Jang control the party structure in the state if the party wants to win Plateau State in 2011.

The group has asked the National Secretariat of the party to order a new congress in the state arguing that it could not share the share the party’s structure 50-50 with Jang who they claim does not have 50 percent of the support of party members in the state.

As at press time, all parties were still involved in negotiations.