By KENNETH DARENG
IN the build up to the 2023 governorship election in Plateau State, some book makers had predicted that a dark horse was going to emerge as the Chief Executive of the State and that the occupant of Little Rayfield would be a blend of experience, panache, political sagacity with mass appeal and courage.
And as it turned out, the election became a clash of the titans and a three horse race between the ruling All Progressives Congress [APC], People’s Democratic Party [PDP], and the Labour Party [LP]. Apart from being the most tension soaked election ever witnessed in the state, the intrigues and power play that accompanied it kept the gladiators, their supporters and other keen political pundits on the edge of their seats.
Because of the already charged election atmosphere across the state, all the major political parties were well positioned and had mapped out their strategies of winning the election. The stakes became much higher when the ruling APC decided to anoint Dr. Yilwada Goshwe Nentawe to take over at all costs from Governor Simon Lalong whose eight-year tenure expired on May 29, 2023.
The PDP, on its part, paraded as its candidate a little known but formidable Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, who was a one-time Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area, while the Labour Party’s candidate was Dr. Patrick Dakum, a former Commissioner for Health in the state.
But like the game changer and someone who is actually prepared for the onerous job of being the governor of the state, Barrister Mutfwang had campaigned from one turf to the other across the three geo-political zones, selling his manifesto whose mantra of “The time is now to keep Plateau Green” and the solemn promise to summon the political will to initiate policies and programmes that will engender peace and progress of the entire state resonated with the young and old and became an instant movement that later culminated into the PDP’s victory at the polls.
One major talking point that got the people hooked to the Mutfwang Green Movement was his promise to review some obnoxious policies implemented by the Lalong administration such as land concession for grazing, the curious domestic and foreign loans obtained from some financial institutions, the agreement to sign an MoU with Jaiz Bank, creation of new traditional stools and tampering with old and gazetted chiefdoms, districts and village areas.
These and other sensitive issues which were poorly handled by the outgone administration coupled with the perceived plan by some oligarchs linked to some vested interests outside the state led to the polarization of the citizens along political, ethnic and religious divides which hindered development, to a large extent.
As a fallout, the popularity of the ruling party began to nose dive and sensing the implication of losing the governorship race, it adopted the ‘Do or Die’ and a ‘Must Win’ approach which did not align with sentiments of the vast majority thereby constituting a great threat to the unity, peace and stability of the state. But when the election results finally came in and Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang was declared as the winner, the entire state erupted into frenzy. For the PDP supporters and other well-wishers, it was a sweet victory at last.
Governor Mutfwang’s inaugural speech at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium on May 29, 2023, was a rare moment for a party that was in the opposition for eight years to showcase an outpouring of nostalgia considering the wave of support and solidarity which also points to the fact that the will of the majority had prevailed and that the people had loudly spoken with their votes.
Mutfwang remarked: ”Your spontaneous outbreak of joy in rejoicing, singing and dancing which lasted for days is a testimony of the cry and hunger in your hearts for divine visitation in the days ahead. Today is not just my inauguration, it is our inauguration as it marks the beginning of our collective quest for a new Plateau. Today I prophesy that the new Plateau by this inauguration is born. The glory of Plateau shall manifest in the coming years to God’s glory and to our collective pride.”
Barely weeks after his inauguration and precisely in June 2023, Governor Mutfwang announced the dissolution of all the 17 Local Government Councils in the state elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress [APC], and replaced them with Transition Committee Chairmen drawn from his own political party, the People’s Democratic Party [PDP], which raised a lot of dust from the opposition party.
The LG chairmen fought back and vowed to stay put in their offices and not to heed to the dissolution. And sensing that the new government might engage the use of forceful measures to evict them from office, they quickly went to court to seek legal protection. They argued that as elected chairmen and councilors, they would remain in office until their tenure expires in October 2024.
The state government explained that the dissolution of the councils was based on a report by a committee set up by the State House of Assembly which had alleged that the elected chairmen had embezzled money belonging to the councils.
Perhaps that set the stage for confusion across the entire State. And in the midst of the tension and controversies, the Attorney –General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, called on the State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney–General to allow the elected chairmen and councilors to resume duty, the process of which should strictly be supervised by the State Police Command.
This further emboldened some of the chairmen like those of Jos- North and Jos- South LGAs who attempted to resume on September 11, 2023 while the State Government had directed the Transition Chairmen to also take over on the same date. It was however reported that the situation at those council secretariats ended up in clashes between supporters of the APC and PDP.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney –General, Philemon Daffi, had to approach the Federal High Court, Abuja, to urge the Court to direct the Plateau State Police Command to unseal the secretariats. The National Union of Local Government Employees [NULGE], Plateau State Chapter, resolved to proceed on strike to prevent any attempt by the elected chairmen from returning, arguing that they did not want any clash between the APC and the PDP supporters who were bent on taking over the council secretariats.
The battle for the control of the 17 local council areas of the state between the sacked elected APC chairmen and the Transition Committee Chairmen of the PDP continued with the game of hide and seek on both sides until the big distraction came when all political interests moved to the courtrooms. And as expected, it turned out to be a bang tagged: “The legal battle for the soul of Plateau.”
It was at that point that all attention shifted to the Election Petition Tribunal which was set to deliver judgments on the various cases brought before it arising from the Governorship, State and National Assembly elections.
In the case of Plateau State, three election petition tribunals sat with three judges as panelists whose judgments later turned out to be in conflict with other courts. For instance, the tribunal affirmed the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, raising the hope of the PDP and their supporters that all was going well. But the same Tribunal later said the PDP in the state lacked a valid structure and had no business contesting the 2023 elections.
According to Hon. Justice Sunday Olorunhunsi, “No matter how dissatisfied another person feels on the conduct of another person’s congresses or primaries, it must keep mum as it is not a member of that party. Such a person lacks the locus standi to challenge such a congress or primary election.”
But all that was contradicted by the ruling of the second Tribunal delivered by Hon. Justice M. B. Tukur when he went against the ruling of the tribunal that considered that the PDP had a solid and valid structure in the state by quashing the election of all National and State Assembly members on the ground of lacking the structure to contest the election in the first instance.
The third tribunal, led by Hon. Justice Mohammed Mohammed, in its ruling had unanimously upheld and affirmed the election of Senator Simon Mwadkwon and Hon. Musa Agah, both elected on the platform of the PDP. According to Justice Mohammed, “the petition was a pre-election matter which can only be entertained at the Federal High Court only.”
The discordant tunes from the Plateau Election Petition Tribunal set the stage for another confusion that created a state of uncertainty in the entire state as the Appeal Court anchored its judgment on the earlier verdict delivered by Justice Tukur. To make matters worse for the PDP, the Appeal Court annulled the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, citing lack of valid PDP structure in the state.
However, respite came at last for Governor Mutfwang and the PDP when the Supreme Court upheld his victory and affirmed that the PDP had a solid and valid structure. It faulted the Appeal Court and the Election Tribunal for even entertaining a case that was a pre-election matter.
The Supreme Court laid to rest a case of Plateau State whose political war ended with a collateral damage on both the APC and PDP. But like Mutfwang said at the end of it all: “We shall not rest on our oars until Plateau State becomes peaceful, united and prosperous.” And from all indications, all the plots and political maneuvering are now part of history and what is uppermost in the minds of citizens of the state is for Governor Caleb Mutfwang to match those promises he made a year ago with more vigour because the TIME IS NOW to get even busier.
