From Jude Dangwam, Jos 

The embattled Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Plateau State, Ambassador Yohanna Margif has urged heads of Church denominations to ignore Dr. Patrick Dakum the self acclaimed Governorship candidate of the party ahead of March 11 governorship candidates in the State.

He cautioned citizens of the State to vote for a party and candidate that will protect the state from the failed eight years misrule of the outgoing All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

Margif in a letter addressed to heads of Church denominations in Plateau State and a copy made available to newsmen in Jos alleged that Dakum acquired the Labour Party ticket through a fraudulent means and described him as a distraction towards the realization of Plateau project.

“I wish to respectfully write to inform the Church of how I was fraudulently shortchanged of the Governorship ticket of the Labour Party (LP) that I lawfully procured; for the avoidance of doubt, I contested and won.

“Regrettably, I was fraudulently substituted with Dr. Patrick Dakum. According to the Electoral Act, a candidate can only be substituted either by voluntary withdrawal or death of the candidate. The procedures for substitution of candidates was blatantly disregarded,” the letter reads in part.

“I am aware that the Church advanced the cause of the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi in the just concluded Presidential election. 

“The Church may need to know it was my humble self who introduced the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi to Plateau people and funded the party when Dr. Dakum was still a member of the APC where he contested for the Governorship primary election and came 2nd.

“I pledged my full support for the position of the Church, especially, as it was prompted by the flagrant disregard to the Christendom by the ruling party, the APC, when the party insisted on a Muslim-Muslim ticket despite the admonition of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Indeed, the position of the Church is commendable.

“Now that what the body of Christ fears most; the Muslim-Muslim ticket has come upon us, I would like to passionately appeal to the Church to intervene in clearing the ambiguity that thickens around Plateau State in relation to the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

“Both Dr. Patrick Dakum and myself are members of the body of Christ. The Church may need to intervene and save itself from the embarrassment that may follow if what Dr. Patrick Dakum is peddling on the media about plans by the Church on the Plateau to extend the same support it lent to his Excellency Mr. Peter Obi for the presidential election to himself as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Plateau State is true.

“The case is still pending at the Supreme Court, this may serve to avert the misinterpretation of the action I may be forced to take against Dr. Patrick Dakum in the next few days ahead as sabotaging the alleged plans of the Church at supporting a candidate.

“This is necessary because I had already secured an arrest warrant against Dr. Dakum and all those involved in the criminal forgery which I would have executed before now, but for the respect I have for the body of Christ and the Church on the Plateau and Nigeria at large which is why am writing this letter to explain my own side of the story,” he passionately stated. 

He advised the Church to go into the next election as a united front and eschew any form of division which might come with consequences. 

“Let me also use this opportunity to inform the Church that I am exploring all lawful means to reclaim my stolen mandate. I wish to thank our Church leaders for always choosing and standing on the path of truth,” Margif so stated.