Top Governorship Candidates in Plateau State have cautioned their supporters against campaign of blackmail as they have respect for one another as brothers.
The top contenders, Dr. Patrick Dakum of Labour Party, LP, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda of All Progressives Congress, APC and Barr. Caleb Mutfwang of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP have several times in different fora, call for peace, reminding their supporters that all of them are pursuing the same cause for the betterment of the state.
They urged their supporters to carry on an issue based campaign without rancour as all of them are Plateau sons who have offered themselves to serve the state on different political platforms.
Dr. Patrick Dakum had last year during Sunday service at COCIN Church Garki Abuja, where they attended the service with Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, appealed that nobody should fight on their behalf. In his words, “If Nentawe wins the election, Dakum will have more access to the Government House than the supporters. And if Dakum wins the election, Nentawe will have more access to Government House than his supporters.”
On his part, the APC governorship Candidate, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda last week posted a message on his Facebook page appealing to his supporters on the need for peace.
“All of us are sons of Plateau state, we attend the same Church and one of us will govern the state come 29th May 2023.
“Beyond politics and elections, we remain brothers. Our supporters should not destroy or damage their relationships and friendship in the name of politics.
Let’s discuss the issues, not propaganda. Let’s have a war of ideas that will make Plateau greater.
Also, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP had during the last month Presidential and National Assembly elections at his hometown in Ampang West called on his supporters to be law abiding and desist from any act capable of breaching the peace in the state.
He said they should be law abiding and conduct themselves in a violence free manner in the interest of the state.
Despite all these appeals by the candidates, their supporters have continued to spread dirty propaganda against candidates of opposing political parties raising tension and overheating the polity.
Some Political analysts in the state have questioned in whose interest are these overzealous supporters destroying their long existing relationship with one another in the ongoing propaganda and attacks on personalities in the state, since the candidates have no issues against one another.
They therefore called for calm among supporters of all the political parties in the state, knowing fully well that their relationship is beyond Politics, urging the supporters not to destroy the State by their comments or utterances because Plateau belongs to all of them and their candidates.
It could be recalled that of recent on the Plateau, supporters of the Governorship candidates have resorted to campaign of propaganda against their opponents in the name of seeking sympathy for their candidates by destroying the reputation of other Political parties and their Candidates.