Hassan Garba is a name synonymous with Wase local government politics having served as the Local Government Council Caretaker Chairman for a brief period of seven months and printed his name in gold. Until recently, he was a staunch and founding member of All Progressives Congress (APC) before defecting to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for reasons he described as marginalization of certain areas and poor service delivery across Plateau State by Governor Simon Bako Lalong.
Garba spoke eloquently to our Jos reporter on several issues of local and national interest;-
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247Ureports: Reasons for defection to opposition party
Garba: I had to reason beyond any imagination before reaching a final decision to quit APC. First, I carefully studied the modus operandi of the party at my local government and state. I discovered that at both levels, we have no sincere leadership worth anything other than deceit and marginalization. For instance, for the seven years of the Lalong administration in Plateau State, there is no single project sited anywhere in my Wase local government area. Secondly, the General Hospital sited in the local government as Lalong Legacy Project is a farce. There is absolutely no justification for ant patriotic indigene of Wase local government to remain in support of the APC.
Finally, the member representing the federal constituency has outlived his usefulness to the federal constituency due to incapacitation and other vices. For the past 16 years he has been in representation, the local government is still too rural as if the federal constituency is always denied the mandatory federal constituency projects inserted in yearly budgets. 90 percent of the villages in the single federal constituency have neither portable water nor any infrastructure to justify the mandate he enjoys. All the people see periodically are motorcycles, grinding and sewing machines accompanied with repainted Sharon vehicles. APC has for eight years retarded the progress of the federal constituency.
247Ureports: But you were part of the mess
Garba: I was not a party to the mess which can be testified by the people themselves because I wasn’t given free hand to implement my programmes for fear of my rising political profile that was a glaring threat to those in power. I was reduced to a mere floor member status even when I served as Council Chairman and my advices were never considered by leadership of the party that was assembled and remotely controlled by the House of Representatives member.
247Ureports: But it was the Representatives that got you appointed
Garba: There were so many factors responsible for my appointment as caretaker committee chairman of the council. In fact, the Representative played no significant role worth a mention in my appointment because right from day one, he read my type of person to be that above remote control.
247Ureports: After your tenure, he appointed you as one of his aides
Garba: He appointed as an aide to be used for his political gain as a foot-soldier. His plan was to use me for his dwindling political advantage but not for any sincere purpose. When I realized his hidden motive, I honorably resigned the appointment before quitting the party to save my political career that was at stake.
247Ureports: Have you not betrayed the confidence of the representative?
Garba: I betrayed no confidence because I had to act fast to save my political career that was seriously under threat. I remain proud of that decision of timely defection before I could be dumped after exhaustion.
247Ureports: How many local governments make up your federal constituency?
Garba: Only one but serious underdeveloped.
247Ureports: What’s your relationship with representative of Wase State Constituency?
Garba: Very cordial and mutual relationship built over the years for the success of the democracy
247Ureports: But he is still in the APC
Garba: Oh Yes! But he is presently under serious threat by those that see him as an anathema and a thorn in their flesh. They have started threatening him with expulsion for being on the right side of the divide. One thing people tend to forget is that not every politician is soulless or cannot be toyed. Hon. Yahaya Adamu is a strong politician that cannot be pushed away with the wave of the hand.
247Ureports: What do you mean?
Garba: He was recently summoned to a crucial party meeting as I was told by those that rate themselves as the trade owners of APC in the local government. How can people hijack the machinery of a party and expect loyalty? Are those APC members still receiving dictations and orders from those self-appointed leaders, robots? Hon. Yahaya has outgrown that kind of threat.
247Ureports: What of his case before the Federal High Court?
Garba: It is scheduled for judgment on November 30th with all facts attached and we expect justice to be done or we proceed to the National Judicial Council (NJC) before going on Appeal.
247Ureports: Are you suspecting any wrong from the judge to warrant involving the NJC?
Garba: We have heard several rumors of nocturnal visits to the residences of some judges and the promises made to them for a favorable judgment. We received a report from our field officers who were in Shendam in the convoy of the representative the other time and reported exactly what the embattled representative told his people on the efforts to murder the case through bribing the judge handling the case. That may not be true but we are not treating it with levity. We know how corrupt some judges are and we have prepared to fight it out incase what he said becomes true.
247Ureports: You mean he cannot win the case?
Garba: He cannot win the case in the face of glaring evidences. There is no way for him to win the case other than through bribery which we are monitoring.
247Ureports: Governor Lalong and his senatorial ambition
Garba: That’s a tall ambition too impossible to be realized because Lalong has failed the test. He is among the five worst governors in Nigeria ever. Plateau State has not progressed for seven years under Lalong for there is nothing to show for the seven years in power. Who will vote a failure? He is relying on Wase House of Representative member to deliver our votes to him as if we are freed slaves. Disappointment is waiting for both of them at the polls.
247Ureports: But can Lalong deliver Plateau for Tinubu?
Garba: How can he? This is a man in day-dreaming that cannot even deliver his senatorial zone to himself not to talk of Plateau State to Tinubu. They brought Tinubu to Jos as a tourist for the usual deceit but not to win Plateau State as a presidential candidate. Lalong and his team can only deceive those parasites but not the enlightened electorates of Plateau State. The game will be over after November 15th jamboree.
247Ureports: Is PDP strong enough in Plateau State?
Garba: It has been the dominant party in the state since 1999. The 2015 wind of change brought the present leaders we are desperate to get rid of before we are buried alive.
