Rocking the Cradle: Political Geometry of Mantu and Dariye on the Plateau

By

Prince Charles Dickson

pcdbooks@yahoo.com

Jos, Plateau

 

The Political drumbeat on the Plateau has in last five years produced several dance steps, while this is not only applicable to Plateau State alone but the thirty-six States of the Nation. Plateau State’s case has necessitated this as a result of the drama it has produced. I make safe to say that apart from Anambra and the others one would pick Plateau State as one of the most controversial crisis ridden State.

 

The height of the drama in the State was the six-month-old State of emergency last year imposed as a result of the State CEO’S “misadministration” of security matters in the State.

 

The State that has played host to one ethno-religious crisis or the other. Segregative bigotry and communal intolerance coupled with the mechanics of power players in the State.

 

 

First it was Governor Dariye versus political enemies through the famous Dengin Commission of Sen. V.K Dengin, then the Dariye versus Damishi Sango (then Sports Minister) clash on the high way. It was soon to be the turn of the governor and elder statesman Chief Solomon Lar. If this was not enough, Jonah Jang, Fidelis Tapgun, Sango and their faithful left the PDP for Dariye and pitched camp with ANPP and AD. Though they are back it has only further increased the stakes especially as 2007 approaches.

 

From this travails, the battle line moved to the masses as poor Muslims and Christians clashed in a royal rumble, thousands were killed. No ‘rich’ Muslim killed a ‘rich’ Christian. While the killings went on that faithful September 7th 2001. The Governor was away from his duty post.

 

Next was the “follow the master series” (do as Obj dey do) rigging of the 2003 election that was alledgedly won by Jonah Jang but some how Dariye conquered. I know my memory services me right, sequel to this particular election, Christians and Muslims alike prayed in churches and mosques for God to intervene in the Plateau Leadership crisis. Yet somehow God did not answer and Dariye come back via the kangaroo electoral tribunal.

 

If this was not enough, the State PDP was thrown into two faction, pro-Dariye, and anti-Dariye, with two Party secretariats. (Although a form of truce seems to have been reached between the camps)

 

In all these happening the friendship of the Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu and his dubious Excellency Dariye was as strong and rock solid like the rock of giblatar. At least records show that but for the help of Governor Dariye. Mantu had virtually lost the Senatorial Elections, which also witnessed bloodshed in the zone and as far as Aso Rock matters were concerned, Mantu was always there for Dariye.

 

So what went wrong? The mechanics of power. Dariye wanted to go the Senate after 2007 to remain relevant. Mantu not too sure of what the permutations would be in 2007 believes a bird in hand is worth two in the bush and so saw no noble threat than Dariye. The fight began. “Operation pull Dariye down” animosity had been born between the two, that it got to alarming proportions.

 

At the launching of an endowment fund of the Central Mosque recently held in Jos, both men avoided each other like plaque with the Deputy Senate President departing the venue of the launching as soon as Governor Dariye entered.

 

On his own part, obviously referring to Mantu, the Governor said, “his enemies had thought he would not attend the occasion.”

 

The Governor has embarked on a serious roads rehabilitation drive, filling potholes and repair of township lighting systems. Drainages and gutter ways are not left out as the governor has through a private initiative drive provided an environment for the operators to not only work but be a source of productive employment and revenue generation. This has recently endeared the governor to many. What does all these mean…the Donald Duke report is ready and is obviously vindictive of the fact that the poor Joshua of our time has been asked to leave the party like his Anambra counterpart and the findings as regards his financial misbehavior is damning. Off course happenings at the national level among the party, presidency, senate and other places has given the governor breathing space from the onslaught of the man Mantu.

 

The recent nominations of delegates to the confused confab brought to fore the animosity as retired Air Chief Jonah Jang who was not on the list was put on the list for the State via Mantu’s presidential mandate.

 

As Colonel Dungs enters the fry as a guber hopeful he is seen as Dariye’s joker in the Marwa and IBB fold, although the military tactician has declared that there is nothing like that, very few are convinced. Architect Dung the only man who gave Dariye a scar at the last PDP primaries is slowly gathering force again in anticipation especially having not benefited from the national cake in terms of any appointment  

 

Just recently humble man of God Pastor Adeboye came visiting and asked the faithful to pray for the governor to recover all that has been lost, very controversial prayer point as an overwhelming majority could hardly utter a word of prayer until he repeated himself and somehow some mutterings started. No doubt the state has lost a lot to internal squabbles than external power play. The Plateau scene is only a testimony to the fact that the ant eating the beans is inside the beans bag. A house divided against it can hardly be expected to make headway and the Plateau war simply typifies the more general picture of the Nigerian people.

 

The people of Plateau State has lost a lot from the whole episode as much as the political power players felt they had scored one point by achieving the state of emergency status little did they bargain for the next case scenario of whether or not Dariye could come back and thus left a gaping wound of which way Plateau…the permutations of those dark six months are still very much in the Plateau polity, setting brothers against brothers, people who have lived all their lives together. Imagine the fees the State government would have paid in terms of legal services in all the numerous cases that were only just a show of power play.

 

Just like we all screamed 2003 elections and nothing happened except the mudslide and landslide victories, 2007 may just be different, however the source of that difference is what anyone’s guess is as good as. Where will Dariye be, what part is he likely to play in picking his successor, will Mantu make it to the senate again? Yes, maybe from the F.C.T Abuja. Will the Beroms as a figure majority rise up to the music to get to the government house?