Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State under the aegis of APC Bigwigs on Monday called on gubernatorial aspirants who contested the last primaries for the upcoming 2023 election but were unsuccessful to put aside any grievances they might have and join hands with the party’s flagbearer, Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, so that the party would emerge victorious at the secondary elections.
The group also said the emergence of Yilwatda as the winner of the primaries does not mean the other aspirants were not equally qualified to be the party’s flagbearer, but that it is because only one person is required to be a flagbearer of any political party.
DAILY POST recalls that reactions have continued to trail the APC gubernatorial primaries in the state, as some of the aspirants have described the primary election as the worst form of degrading democracy, saying the exercise was a “sham”.
They also said the process that saw the emergence of the party’s gubernatorial flagbearer, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda was brazenly abused and skewed to favour him.
However, Mandung Zazzaga, who spoke to journalists in Jos, the state capital, on behalf of the group, made the call after paying a solidarity visit to Dr. Yilwatda.
Zazzaga urged all the other aspirants to therefore put all their grievances before, during, and after the primary election behind them so that they can close ranks and work together for the success and survival of the party to which they all belong and cherish so much.
According to him, there is no political party that is crisis-free, particularly after primary elections where those who do not emerge as winner become aggrieved, but true party men quickly resolve their differences and put aside their grievances for the common good of the party.
He stressed the need to restrategize against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state who are doing anything humanly possible to win back the governorship seat since the APC defeated them in 2015.
“I want to also use this opportunity to call on all the party members, loyalists, and supporters alike who must have been aggrieved one way or the other to put behind them whatever must have vexed them so that we can work for the success of the party.
“Our party remains a progressive party by structure and nature, which carry all and sundry along. And it remains a formidable party where people successfully build their political careers and flourish. It is also the party for the masses regardless of one’s ethno-religious background.
“Again, for the aspirants who were not victorious at the primaries in all other positions, they should understand that it is not the end of their political career, because a loser today can become a winner tomorrow.
“A clear example is that of our President Muhammadu Buhari, who contested for the President of the country three times but lost each time. But he never gave up and then contested again and won the fourth time, and he is now rounding up his second tenure.
“So, all our party members and aspirants who did not win at the primaries should not give up hope or lose faith in the party as the party strongly appreciates their participation and remain committed to their future aspirations.
“And it would be unwise now for any of them to contemplate defecting to another party as they may not flourish in other parties as they have done in the APC.
“This is owing to the simple logic that other political parties already have their dedicated members and loyalists and anyone joining them newly would be seen as a newcomer and treated as such.
“This implies that the hope of our members is much in the APC than in any party they may contemplate to newly join or work underground for; that is by doing anti party,” he said.
He however urged Yilwatda to quickly put a reconciliation team in place and reach out to all the aspirants who contested with him, whether those aggrieved or not, and pursue sincere reconciliation and their support to win the election.
Zazzaga called on their party faithful to endeavour to get their PVC so that they can be able to vote for all their party candidates at the state and national level come 2023, adding that all their members should go about their political activities peacefully and violence-free.