Senator Diket Plang, representing Plateau Central Senatorial District, has described the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections as a belated political move, arguing that it should have been formed before political parties conducted their primaries and produced candidates.
Plang expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would win most elective positions in Plateau State in 2027, while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
“I am deeply convinced that APC will win the majority of the seats, whether in the governorship election, the National Assembly election or the State House of Assembly election,” he said.
The senator argued that the opposition parties had lost an opportunity to build a stronger alliance by waiting until their candidates had emerged before coming together.
“They came very late. They came only when candidates of the parties had already emerged. If they had wanted a good coalition, it could have been formed before the parties produced their candidates,” he said.
He described the alliance as “more of a merger of convenience than a holistic coalition”, suggesting that its timing could limit its effectiveness ahead of the elections.
Addressing concerns about Tinubu’s ability to campaign across the country, Plang said a presidential candidate did not need to visit every community or polling unit to reach voters.
“What is the meaning of going round? Is it going round the states, local governments, wards or polling units?” he asked.
“Anybody who claims the capacity to go round the country should tell us whether he will visit every polling unit. I am waiting to see a presidential candidate who will go round all the polling units,” he said.
Plang maintained that organised campaign structures could communicate a candidate’s manifesto and plans to voters across the country, from the national level to geopolitical zones, states, local governments and wards.
On insecurity, the senator said security remained one of Nigerians’ biggest concerns, arguing that the expansion of security forces, improved welfare for personnel and the establishment of additional military formations were important steps towards addressing the challenge.
He cited the establishment of additional military battalions in Mangu, Barkin Ladi and Wase, as well as another in Langtang, Plateau State, as measures that could strengthen security operations.
“On the Plateau, it is unprecedented that we have additional battalions in Mangu, Barkin Ladi and Wase, with another one in Langtang,” he said.
Plang added that permanent military bases in Mangu and Barkin Ladi would offer hope to communities affected by insecurity, while urging Nigerians to give Tinubu another opportunity to pursue his security reforms.
“There is an intentional decision by this President to give priority to security and address the high level of insecurity in the country,” he said.
The senator, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Works, also praised the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects, citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Akwanga-Keffi road corridor as examples of investments he believes could support long-term economic development.
Recalling his visit to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, Plang said he had initially doubted the feasibility of some aspects of the construction but later witnessed the first phase being commissioned.
“Honestly, when we went for the flag-off, I saw what looked like an impossibility. When they talked about reclaiming parts of the ocean and constructing drainages around the lagoons to create the road, I thought it was a dream,” he said.
“But I later had the opportunity to attend the commissioning of the first phase of the road. I have seen the project practically, and I can tell you that the reality is different from what many people imagined,” he added.
Plang described the Federal Government’s infrastructure programme as an investment in Nigeria’s future, arguing that continuity would allow ongoing projects and reforms to deliver results.
“If you look at the infrastructure projects the President has embarked upon, you will see that they are futuristic and offer hope for economic development,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to assess political parties and candidates based on their performance, cautioning against abandoning what he described as tangible progress for an untested alternative.
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