Barely one week to the governorship and state House of Assembly elections slated for March 11, 2023, a former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, has advised the people not to vote for a governor who will misrule the state for another eight years.

He specifically asked the people not to vote for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress and that of the Labour Party have worked together to bring untold hardships and suffering to the people of the state in the past eight years.

He also thanked the people voting for candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Senate and House of Representative elections and congratulated the winners of the election.

Jang spoke on Friday in a statement he issued in Jos ahead of the governorship and state House Assembly elections.

Expressing confidence in the ability of the PDP and its candidates to reverse the ugly past and bring about development to Plateau, the former governor urged the people to vote wisely in the interest of the state.

Jang said, “The presidential election of February 25 has come and gone. It may not have been our desire or preference, but only time will reveal what is best for our dear country Nigeria as it pleases God almighty.

“The governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are almost here, and it is hoped that urgent steps will be taken to close the ranks, shelve all differences, and pursue the election as a common front. The manipulated presidential poll should propel us to do what is right to put all our candidates on a winning streak.

“We should not allow our emotions to overtake our sense of purpose at this time; the successes achieved in the past election must be the driving force for more outstanding achievements in the forthcoming polls, which are, indeed, local.

“Having secured five out of eight House of Representatives positions and two Senatorial positions already in the kitty with a third on the horizon, we should be working hard to install a governor and a House of Assembly who will join hands to stand for the interest of our dear state.

“The pains and lessons of the past eight years, where we had the APC in government both in Plateau and at the national level but have had no benefit, is instructive. The outcome of the presidential polls has shown where the leanings of Plateau people are; an APC government in the state is a subscription to further neglect, as experienced in the last eight years.

Let’s not forget that the last eight years brought us untold hardship; we were almost robbed of our identity.

He called on the people to resist those who attempt to coerce our mind into believing that we are second class people.

“Let us, therefore, vote for a governor who will have the backing of the state and National Assembly members in pursuing the interests of the Plateau people.

“The time to act is now! The decision to build a virile Plateau where unending peace reigns is ours to make. We must not sit on the fence; we must defend our heritage, not just for ourselves but for our children and the on-coming generations,” he beckoned.

The former governor called on all including the Obidients not to lose faith but join hands with the PDP to redeem the heritage of the stage.

He added, “We must insulate Plateau by voting for the PDP and must force INEC to make our votes count. No retreat, No surrender.”