Plateau PDP Campaign Activities to resume After expiration of Mourning Period on Saturday 21st January 2023, Committee set up to oversee welfare of accident victims to be inaugurated

The Atiku-Okowa/Mutfwang-Piyo Campaign Council has said that campaign activities will resume after Saturday 21st January 2023. This was contained in a statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the The Atiku-Okowa/Mutfwang-Piyo Campaign Council and widely circulated on social media.

According to the statement signed by the Chairman of the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the Atiku-Okowa/Mutfwang-Piyo Campaign Council Mr Yiljap Abraham, “The mourning period declared by the Gubernatorial Candidate of the PDP Barr Caleb Mutfwang in honour of the party’s members involved in road accidents comes to an end on Saturday, January 21,2023.”

The statement added that “Normal Campaign activities which had been suspended following the accident will therefore resume.”.

The first accident involving a bus conveying PDP supporters to the Southern Zone rally in Shendam occurred on Tuesday January 10 at Bisichi junction. 16 of them were admitted with injuries at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, but seven were treated and released.

The PDP candidate upon return from Shendam had proceeded straight to JUTH to see the accident victims. He told them, “You are my people. We are all doing these campaigns together to salvage Plateau.”

He promised to pick up their medical bills.

The latest accident occurred last Saturday when a truck conveying some party members from Pankshin after the Central Zone flag off crashed before Panyam bridge in Mangu Local Government Area.

According to the statement “A total of 13 supporters died. 17 have been discharged from various health facilities in Jos and Mangu town and 12 are still on admission at JUTH”.

Mutfwang, after due consultation, had declared a weeklong mourning period, calling those involved in the accidents as “heroes of our democracy “. He suspended all campaign activities and promised every assistance to the survivors and families of the deceased.

In a prompt show of solidarity, the presidential candidate of the PDP His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (GCON) arrived Jos in company of the PDP National Chairman Sen. Dr Iorchia Ayu, Former Vice President His Excellency Arch Namadi Sambo, Former Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Dr Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and a host of party and campaign Council officials.

Atiku referred to the tragedy as a “painful loss.” He donated an initial sum of N30 Million and the Party Chairman announced a donation of N10 million Naira.

The PDP flag was flown at half mast at both Abuja and Jos as a mark of mourning.

The gubernatorial candidate in company of his deputy, Hon Josephine Piyo, State Chairman of the party Chris Hassan, DG Campaign council Hon Letep Dabang, party Chieftains, elders, campaign council officials as well as stakeholders and supporters have since visited the survivors and families of the dead at Ampang West.

The Candidate’s wife Mrs Helen Mutfwang has also led teams of women political office holders, wives of legislators and former aspirants as well as many stakeholders to visit the injured at hospitals and families of those who had died.

The statement further informed that “…just as the mourning period was ending, the party Chairman after consulting with the candidate and other stakeholders set up a nine member Management committee to manage all forms of assistance received and ensure that they are delivered to the accident victims.”

Former Secretary of the government of Plateau State Prof Shedrack Best is to Chair the committee and is expected to submit a report in four weeks after inauguration at a date yet to be fixed.

Both the presidential Candidate of the party HE Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the state Gubernatorial Candidate Caleb Mutfwang have assured that the accident victims will always be remembered for their sacrificial commitment to the PDP.