Dr Patrick Dakum
By Chuwang Dungs
Some few months ago I wrote a short piece titled, “Dakum’s Experience and Achievements Make Marketing Him Less Stressful For Us.” In the article I clearly stated that there is no one candidate out there contesting for the seat of the next governor of Plateau state that is better than Dr. Patrick Dakum and my opinion was based on my personal analysis and encounter with some of the key aspirants.
He is no doubt a gifted personality, a thorough bred administrator and a polished politician, he has records to show from his dazzling professional, political and spiritual antecedents. As stated in my write up.
But if he must succeed in his political sojourn to be the number citizen of Plateau, he must get certain things right and someone got to tell him.
In Dr. Patrick Dakum’s political circle apart from the name Dakum (the principal) the must mentioned name is Jonathan. Jonathan Gukut, is Dakum’s must closest and trusted aide, from my findings they two have been working together for over three decades and he handles both private and official engagements for the gubernatorial nominee of the Labour Party (LP). Personally I have no business with that.
On my first encounter with Jonathan after my decision to work and ensure the success of Dakum in the next election, he looks very gentle and promising, we had some discussions that would help the movement. My childhood friend, who hails from the same locality with the gubernatorial candidate and another senior colleague who was with Dakum right from their unproductive sojourn in the All Progressives Congress (APC) were very happy when I told them of my decision to support the Doctor turned politician, since I was already a stunch supporter of the Obi-Datti ticket before they even joined the LP. In fact they were instrumental in arranging my meeting with the “kingpin” Jonathan.
I started following them to some key events and political meetings, watching and analysing every activities with key interest, and no doubt in all the outings Dakum gives impressive performances, which makes me build more confidence in the movement. Apart from following him to engagements, I was also making behind the scene consultations selling him to the public and also doing some research work to see areas that we can improve on in the cause of our campaigns.
Unfortunately while we are doing all this, the name Jonathan is being mentioned negatively by almost everyone that is in the campaign train, I don’t want to talk about my personal experiences with him in this write up because I have already bared my mind to him.
I am writing this based on the scores of my chat with those concerned about Jonathan’s behaviour and is causing die hard supporters of Dakum-Pwajok to gradually lose faith in the movement.
More than a dozen of current high ranking supporters and close allies of Dakum spoke to me on the alleged high handedness and deceptive attitude of the man Jonathan, they spoke about what they have experienced with him and why they don’t think he’s the right man to play a key role in such a dynamic movement.
In my discussions they alleged that he run things in the campaign circle as a personal entity, they depicted him as someone who always believed that his decision is final and since he is the one in charge of financial resources he executes his decisions at will without respecting other peoples opinion.
They alleged that he consolidates powers and presides over a culture of self dealing, directing resources into projects of self interest.
They detailed other instances of Jonathan’s behavior that they see as falling short of the standard of conduct they expect from a politician that really want his principal to win the next election. “He doesn’t trust anyone, he believes anything that got to do with money, he should be the one in control, he has no respect and regards to the campaign heirachy, if this is not corrected, we will no doubt lose support.” A close associate of Dakum told me in a discussion.
“We are not business men, we are politicians, we are not doing this to make profit, but we are doing this to win the next election and winning the election requires people and we must reach out to the people and reaching out to the people requires resources and he cannot do it alone,” he added.
I know many out there might feel like I’m betraying the movement in some way. But someone’s got to tell the truth before we all say had I know.