Defection: Jang Tells Mutfwang To Resign, Contest Fresh Election

Former Plateau state governor and leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Jonah David Jang, has asked Governor Caleb Mutfwang to resign and contest a fresh election.

The former governor made this statement at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting, reacting to the recent defection of Governor Mutfwang from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to Jang, since the governor had decided to quit and join another party, he should resign his position, join the new political party, and recontest the election.

“I don’t know where we got this idea of carrying people’s mandate without even thinking twice about it in other areas. And you start giving all kinds of reasons. You should first resign that position, call for a fresh election and then you can recontest in the new party. That should be the right democracy.

“Caleb Mutfwang is still the governor of Plateau state, and it is we who brought him to power. Before he disposes of us, he has to complete this tenure with us. He can’t take our mandate anywhere. We campaigned and voted for him. It is the PDP government that built that government house, “the governor said.

Jang further blamed the Nigerian system, which allows the indiscriminate defection of political officeholders from one party to another, explaining that such attitudes negatively affect the democratic system.

“I have never seen the name of any individual written on any ballot paper. It is a party listed on a ballot paper. It is the party that wins the election, not individuals. Nigeria is the only country where someone is elected on the platform of a party and takes the mandate of that party to another party. I have never seen in a democratic country where someone wins an election and takes the mandate to another party,” he said.

The PDP leader also expressed worry over what he described as the country tilting towards a one-party system, with many governors trooping to join the ruling party, and accused INEC of interfering in the affairs of the PDP.

“God forbid that Nigeria becomes a one-party state. By God’s grace, it will never happen. We must stand to ensure this democracy survives. We must not fail the nation. This democracy has come to stay. And by the grace of God, we will make it work. We will rally round with all our founding fathers and ensure that at the National level, we correct the mistake INEC is making. INEC will not kill democracy.

“PDP has not been deregistered, and therefore, INEC has no right to stop any candidate of the PDP from contesting the election. That is not their job, to interfere with the internal affairs of the political party. Their role is to make sure elections are conducted properly. The court should stop interfering with political parties’ internal affairs.”