Groups have continue to attack Tarok elders who reportedly endorsed Gen Jeremiah Useni, a serving Senator, as a consensus candidate for gubernatorial race among Tarok extraction, vying for governorship seat for Plateau state.
On Monday, another group, “Tarok Political Watch” in a press statement issued in Jos, Plateau state capital, also joined in the condemnation of the purported endorsement of Jeremiah Useni as Tarok extraction consensus gubernatorial candidate.
“Politically monolithic Tarok nation, we are sorry to observe that the feedbacks trickling in from both within and without the Tarok nation do not support that view.”
Convener of the Tarok Political Political Watch, Barrister Singa Edward Zhattau, with secretary of the group Comrade Mantim Wuyep, in a joint press release reiterated the need for people to condemn the endorsement, it said the action of the said Tarok elders who endorsed Gen Jeremiah Useni was illegal and uncalled for.
“As young people of Tarok land, we would rather take the political risk by standing in unison with other ethnic nationalities, than to risk strategic partnership and collaboration with other ethnic nationalities by caving into the desire of a select few.
It will be recalled that another Tarok youth group “the Tarok Youth Progressive Association had at the weekend during a press conference distance it self from the purported endorsement of Gen Jeremiah Useni by a selected Tarok elders.
The endorsement of Gen Jeremiah Useni seems to have brought him more enemies than friends; Senator Useni is contesting Plateau gubernatorial seat of Plateau state on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party PDP.
Gen Useni is a co-founder of the deformed Democratic People’s Party DPP.
Below is the full press text of “Tarok Political Watch ” unedited.
BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE “TAROK POLITICAL WATCH” ON THE 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2018
LET THE PLATEAU PEOPLE DECIDE!
We have carefully analyzed the text of a press statement by a group of Tarok elders under the aegis of Tarok Elders Forum (TEF) captioned, “THE TAROK NATION ENDORSES SENATOR (DR) J. T USENI AS CONSENSUS ASPIRANT FOR THE 2019 GUBERNATORIAL RACE IN PLATEAU STATE”. As if that caption was not perplexing enough, part of the introductory paragraph of the press statement reads: “The leaders and elders have therefore engaged the various stakeholders and carried out broad consultation within and outside the Tarok nation especially with the wider Plateau family, with a view to settling down on and putting forward a single aspirant to the good people of Plateau State for consideration and support”.
While the said group of elders might have honestly thought that their statement could support the assumption of a
politically monolithic Tarok nation, we are sorry to observe that the feedbacks trickling in from both within and without the Tarok nation do not support that view.
This statement, therefore, is a reflection of our collective will as a sensitive and responsive Tarok political watch group to redress the negative impression of the Tarok people that was wittingly or unwittingly created by the statement credited to the Tarok Elders Forum.
It is noteworthy that the statement released by those elders was simply a manifestation of their own political engrossment, and that could not have been a representation of the collective wish and aspirations of the Tarok people.
Furthermore, how could such a decision of endorsing some candidate of a certain political party accommodate the interest of other numerous illustrious Tarok sons and daughters who have been found worthy and accordingly appointed into influential national and state positions by President Buhari and Governor Simon Lalong?
It is indubitably true that the numerous aspirants of Tarok extraction have since picked up their nomination forms, and the fact that many more Tarok gubernatorial aspirants will join the fray is a matter of when and not if. The golden question beckons: Where is the consensus?
Much as we respect the enviable accomplishments of those elders in their respective fields of endeavour, we deem it fit to reprimand, without further delay, their action because of the obvious consequences that such may occasion upon the Taroh nation, one of which is the alienation of the Tarok race in the scheme of Plateau politics – a scenario we are determined to avert.
We are a selfless people and we have got the history to show for it. It is well documented that Solomon Lar, on becoming the Governor of Plateau State in 1979, pruned the number of Permanent Secretaries of Tarok extraction from Four (4) to one (1) in a sheer display of selfless leadership.
With the view of improving our relationship; to restoring the acceptable level of trust; and to building on the previous level of direction on all issues of mutual interest, wewishh to utilize this medium to reach out to and allay the fears of other ethnic nationalities on the Plateau concerning the press statement of the Tarok Elders Forum, while considering it crucially important that our political future as a people can only be fine tuned on strategic cooperation and partnership with the rest of the peoples of Plateau State.
We are of the firm belief that if the Tarok man were to become the Governor of Plateau State, whether in the near future or in the long term, such success could only be a fallout of intense and genuine negotiations, consultations and other forms of interaction with the rest of the people of Plateau State.
As young people of Tarok land, we would rather take the political risk by standing in unison with other ethnic nationalities, than to risk strategic partnership and collaboration with other ethnic nationalities by caving into the desire of a select few.
We dare not go solo!
Long live Tarok Nation!
Long live Plateau State!
Signed:
Barrister Singa Edward Zhattau Comrade Mantim Wuyep
Convener, Tarok Political Watch (PTW) Secretary PTW
