Factional chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Plateau State, Hon. Ishaya Itse, has denied collecting N2 million to withdraw a suit filed against the party and the Hon. Rufus Bature-led Exco, saying it was meant to tarnish his image.
Itse disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Jos, the state capital, saying it was a decision taken by the two factions.
He said, “I’m surprised by this kind of unfortunate information making rounds that I collected N2 million to withdraw a case from court.
“To the best of my knowledge, no amount of money was given to me to compromise and betray my EXCO, it was a collective decision that was taken between the two factions, and a truce was brokered by the elders and a reconciliation committee from the National Headquarters of our dear party to settle all court cases and use internal mechanisms instead of litigations.
“I want to categorically and say it without mincing words, the meeting was called by the Elders and all of us including the two Counsels from both sides were in attendance, it is to my greatest consternation and chagrin to see fake news filtering in the air that I, Ishaya Itse is a cheat and fraudster.
“Ordinarily, I need not respond to such baseless and unfounded allegations, but to do justice to my supporters and other members of the public.”
According to him, “This rumour is the handiwork of some shameless and mischief makers that have vowed to smear my reputation at all cost, we know them because these are people that are desperate to frustrate the Government of Plateau State.
“Plateau is greater than an individual and we need to unite and foster peace, unity, and uneven development.
“I want to warn such elements of destruction to stop forthwith, hence we will expose them to the world.”
He assured that since negotiations are ongoing by the officials from the National Secretariat of the party, “As I speak, we are on our way to the Court, to withdraw the case, because the National body of the party advise that we should do so”.
The factional chairman appealed to his supporters to remain calm, urging them to disregard such unreliable information.
DAILY POST recalls that members who purchased forms to contest the October 16th, 2021 state elective congress had refused the consensus arrangement.
The party had produced the State Executive Committee led by Hon. Rufus Bature based on consensus but the aggrieved members rejected the arrangement.
Members of the party, who paid for forms based on the party’s guidelines, were said to have waited for the congress committee to issue forms and screen them for the election; with that not forthcoming, they opened a parallel secretariat at Kalwa House in Jos.
As a result, the faction went to court to seek redress.
