Engr. Arum Ajiji is the President of an Abuja based none called one (1) Plateau, an associate pastor with Church of Christ in All Nations (COCIN). He spoke to correspondent JIDAUNA YANUNG on a number of issues affecting Plateau State, excerpts:
CAN you give detailed background of one Plateau?
In 2014, the political situation in Plateau state faced a herculean task when some members of the party in power then blew the lid of an impending plan to impose a gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 general elections against the wishes of a majority of party members. Their grouse was that democracy being a system of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly was being robbed and circumvented. Mindful that this development could hamper our thriving democracy, one Plateau Unity Forum was formed with plans to put pressure so as to right the wrong; doing so in its capacity as Pressure Group with a responsible source of criticism, good conduit of communication to the polity as well as democratic means of expression for the people.
It was the concern of this Group of Plateau indigenes that the situation may degenerate into a state of anarchy if not checked that they met to discuss the future of the state, its unity and defense from external manipulations for a realistic and achievable goal.
To kick start, as low as 10 members formed the pioneer status of the forum. The membership has now grown to over 200 made up of both active and passive members spread across the Local Government Areas of the state. The Forum has clear and unambiguous objectives as spelled out in Article 5 of their constitution; among which are:
To adhere to the fundamental principles of democracy and its activities and in which its affairs shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the Rule of Law.
To have a manifesto which shall be implemented by all members, officers and organs of the forum while members elected into Government on the platform of the forum shall forge the necessary alliances, build bridges, and work in collaboration with the forum to ensure successful implementation of the forum’s manifesto.
Administrative structure of the forum is such that right from the onset, the forum adopted an evolving strategy that reinforced a field of offices through the Executive Committee System (EXCO); a strata which members guard jealously and are keenly committed to the functions of their various offices so as to guarantee improvements in the democratic process.
Given the provisions of Article 8 of the Forum’s constitution; the Executive committee consists of 16 officers. We see a Forum that is well structured in which members will be dedicated to strengthening democracy in all its ramifications, officers with a degree of accountability and full engagement. We see an Exco that will be committed to deploying every resource to engender governmental responsiveness consistent with the needs of a united One Plateau with inclusive checks on democracy to be played by the rules.
Charging the way forward
The group has come a long way with an array of professionals made up of Lawyers, Medical and academic doctors, Architects, Engineers, Bureaucrats, Technocrats and experts in the business, financial, and economic sectors who will readily provide professional advice and services to the government by proffering credible solutions to burning issues thereby creating opportunities for political participation for the forum without joining any political party. I therefore urge the government to consider the input of the Forum from time to time in its policy formulation.
You have been piloting the affairs of this forum for years, how is the journey so far and some of challenges facing the forum?
Yes, every group or forum has one challenge or the other so ours is not an exception. I have been a member of the forum from the onset but I have not thought I will be in position of leadership until when there was crisis and I came in to mediate in the crisis from there I was appointed a caretaker of the forum and from there we try and ensure that the forum has a constitution and election was conducted in 2018 where I was elected as the president for the first time and re-elected again for the second term. Like I said there has been challenges and difficulties most especially in trying to maintain your standard as a pressure group, because if you don’t take time you will step on the toes of those in government or individuals. The challenges have been both within and outside.
It has been very challenging even in handling members and other individuals we deal with within Plateau State. Managing the challenges. It was good first then dialogue, consulting but not compromising our standard.
Though you said the forum is not political, but then 2023 general election is very near, what do you have to tell the people of Plateau State?
Yes, as I said it is a socio political pressure group so we cannot disassociate with politics but we are not partisan. What I mean is that the group is not an APC, PDP, APGA or PRP among others, but we will support anything that is in the interest of Plateau State generally.
As we approach 2023, we are working round the clock to see how we will impact positively on the next governor of Plateau State. What I mean here is that we are working round the clock to ensure that the people that are contesting are checked to make sure that the person that has the interest of the state is elected. This is very key to us, we don’t care if he is coming from APGA, APC, PDP or any political party.
To this end, the forum shall in the next two weeks embark on a campaign round the 17 local governments of Plateau State to those that do not have Permanent Voters Card (PVC) because it is very important, if there is no PVC then there is no weapon. PVC is the biggest weapon when it comes to politics, when it also come to democracy.
Although people used to say that our votes doesn’t count but with the new system put in place by INEC, Votes will now be counted. So we are calling on all illegible citizens of Plateau State to obtain their PVCs because that is the only way they will participate in the elections. I also want to appeal to plateau indigenes residents outside the state to come back home, transfer their PVC back to plateau state because there is no place like home and nobody will build your house for you, come back home to cast your votes.
I also want to appeal to all other socio-political groups in the state come lets join hand together to make the plateau of our dream to reality.
They should also mobilized all their people to make sure they obtain their PVCs. Also government and INEC should provide a level playing ground for every plateau sons and daughters who are 18 years to have their own voters’ card.
