Plateau PDP disowns 4 governorship aspirants

A People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Plateau State, Fidelis Tapgun, has challenged the state chapter of the party for excluding him as an aspirant in the 2015 governorship race.

The party secretariat on Thursday had disclaimed Mr. Tapgun, John Alkali, Jimmy Cheto and Jonathan Sheni, saying they were not members of the party.

The PDP state secretary, Pam Sale, warned the four potential aspirants against using the party’s logo on their campaign materials. He called the four, impostors.

Mr. Sale said the four had previously “deserted” the party. He advised Mr. Tapgun and others to save themselves embarrassment by not participating in any of the party’s activities.

Mr. Tapgun on Friday dismissed the party’s claim, describing it as “self-deceit.”

Mr. Tapgun, a former governor, had already purchased his nomination form to contest the 2015 governorship election on Wednesday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

“The Plateau PDP should know that it is not operating in isolation of the national PDP,” he said. “Since 2012, I have revalidated my membership of the party. If this is not so, the party would not have sold the nomination form for me to contest the governorship election.”