Governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong and Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen will battle for the APC ticket for the Plateau South Senatorial Zone in the 2023 election.
A coalition of women and youth groups from the southern zone of the state bought the APC nomination form for the former deputy governor urging her to run for the seat as their representative in the 2023 general elections.
The form were presented to the minister at her residence in Abuja on Saturday.
Leader of the delegation from Plateau state, Mrs Felicia Bala said they arrived at the decision to purchase the form for the former deputy governor of the state, based on the antecedents of the minister in ensuring the welfare of the people especially women and children.
Mrs Bala added that the women and youth contributed their personal resources to purchase the form for the minister without her knowledge as a way of demonstrating their seriousness and believe in the capacity of the Minister, to provide them with quality representation if elected.
Interestingly, it was also the same day Governor Lalong received the Expression of Interest/Nomination forms purchased by a political pressure group, Plateau Legacy Group to contest for the same Plateau South Senatorial District Seat in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
The official presentation which took place at the Shendam Mini Stadium was attended by supporters and APC members from the six local government areas comprising the Southern senatorial district as well others from across the State.
APC Chairman in Plateau State Hon. Rufus Bature said the APC has received a boost with the acceptance of the Governor to offer himself again to serve not only the people of Southern Zone, but the entire Plateau State at the National Assembly.
In his acceptance speech Governor Lalong said he was overwhelmed by the show of love and solidarity from the people of the Southern Zone and Plateau Legacy Group who have used their hard earned resources to purchase nomination/expression of interest form for him.
The Governor said he was happy with the growing fortunes and acceptability of the APC in Plateau State over the years from 2015, having gained so much ground, attracted more members, and won more elections despite the propaganda and disinformation by the opposition.
So what will this mean for the race where the battle line appears to have been drawn between these two gladiators
Both aspirants come from the same local government area,Shendam, in southern Plateau, both are Catholics, both belong to the same political party, both are close to the Presidency apparently, while Governor Lalong seem to share some closeness with President Buhari, Dame Tallen is a close confidant of the wife of the president Aisha Buhari.
These factors will play significant roles in electing the candidate of the party during the primaries.
In 2019, the current Minister for Women Affairs Minister and Social Development had contested for the Senatorial primaries of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Plateau South senatorial district. She lost the Primaries to the Late Senator Ignatius Longjan, who eventually won the secondary election.
That primaries turned violent when some some thugs, armed with dangerous weapons invaded the venue and chased away most of the delegates. The Minister was whisked away from the venue for her safety.
The incumbent Senator representing the zone, Professor Nora Daadut who was attacked last Month in Quan Pan is not likely to seek for reelection as a result of prior political arrangements, but should she change her mind, it may further lead to complexities in the political calculation ahead of the primaries.
The APC in the meantime is expected to conduct its senate primary elections on May 24, 2022.