Ex-Plateau Gov candidate, Chris Giwa defects to PDP, says the party is a better option

Mr. Chris Giwa, who was the ACN candidate for the Plateau governorship seat in 2011, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2019 elections.

Giwa, the proprietor of Giwa FC of Jos, who was received at the party’s secretariat in Jos on Thursday, said that he opted for the PDP because he was convinced that it held the key to a better Nigeria.

“Nigerians have tested and tasted the PDP and the APC; from experience, the average Nigerian believes that PDP is a better option. I have opted to go with the majority,” he said.

Giwa, who said that he had “no immediate ambition”, promised to work for the return of Sen. Jonah Jang (PDP, Plateau North), to the Senate in 2019.

In an address to welcome Giwa, Jang said that the PDP in Plateau was intact and ready to regain power in 2019.

“We had a setback in 2015 but we have put that behind and moved on. The defeat was a temporary setback that has made up stronger after realising our mistakes,” he said.

Jang cautioned PDP members against the temptation to jump ship simply because the party was out of power, and declared that those doing so would regret “very soon”.

He stressed the need for the PDP to remain united, saying that a divided opposition had no chance against an incumbent government.

“As your leaders, we will do everything within our powers to ensure that the PDP remains a strong and united entity.

“It is good to have an ambition, but no ambition is more than the PDP because it is the platform through which we can achieve such ambitions,” he said.

Jang assured PDP members that there would be no imposition of candidates, and advised those interested in seeking elective positions to reach out to the people.

Plateau PDP Chairman Damishi Sango in his remarks said that the party was stronger with Giwa in its fold. Sango tasked members on discipline, noting that nothing would be achieved if members were not focused and discipline toward achieving set goals.

“The party is supreme; every member must respect it,” he said.

Other top PDP members who gathered at the party’s secretariat to welcome Giwa included Sen. Jeremiah Useni (PDP, Plateau South), national and state assembly members, as well as former ministers and commissioners.