By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
The leadership crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State has taken another dimension as the governor, Rt. Honourable Simon Bako Lalong has been accused of hijacking the party machinery in the state.
In an exclusive interview, a Chieftain of APC in the state from Jos North Local Government Area, who seriously pleaded for anonymity blamed the governor for all the wranglings within the party.
He said the recent removal from office of the APC chairman in Plateau State, Mr Latep Dabang is not unconnected with the desires of the governor to control the party machinery.
According to him, the political crisis which of late took a a dramatic show at the State House of Assembly, where two speakers, Honourable Yakubu Sanda and Ayuba Abok are fighting over who should control the House, is merely a handi work of the governor.
He noted that unless and until the governor removes his hands from the affairs of the party, there shall be “more crises and factionalization because many members will never agree with him”.
On the issue of the fifth columnists responsible for the skirmishes and the crisis in the party, the politicians, blamed a former governor of the state, Jonah David Jang and Senator Istifanus Gyang for being the sponsors of what is currently happening.
He accused him of being the brains behind the crisis and the seeming hostility in the Plateau society.
According to him, such personalities and the opposition party in the state “must stop sponsoring political touts to cause confusion in the APC camp” thereby, deepening the crisis in the party everyday.
He said the governor, Simon Bako Lalong is now busy buying members of the APC in the state with appointments presumably to get control of the party.
It would be recalled that the ruling APC in Plateau State has since the removal of Latep Dabang from office, been enveloped by series of crisis emanating from what many supporters blamed on the high handedness of Governor Simon Bako Lalong.
