Plateau Crisis: Don’t allow politicians use you, says Assembly Deputy Speaker

By Kingsley Chukwuka

Plateau is not at war, contrary to the news making the rounds of the State House of Assembly and the Chairmanship tussle in Langtang North Local Government Area of the State, between the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Deputy Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Saleh Yipmwang has said.

Security agencies are on top of the situation calling all parties to a round table discussion, an effort which has yielded the desired result of dialogue and continuous dialogue, with the members of the Plateau Assembly and the LGA Chairmanship party members.

This certainly is not going down well with some politicians who have strategies to carry out protest in solidarity to the impeached Speaker, an act which is aimed at heating up the polity and calling out Governor Simon Lalong to the public glare of a Governor who has once again failed in maintaining peace, Yipmwang said.

“The public should be carful listening to politicians who only profits in destabilising the society for selfish gains. What an average Plateau citizen wants is to go about his normal day to day activities in a peaceful environment”, a political analysts said while interacting with our correspondent in Jos at the weekend.

The analyst who arrived Jos to carry out a survey on the fireworks media reports on the impeached Speaker and LGA Chairmanship tussle said he was shocked to see the city bubbling with people going about their normal businesses.

According to him: “I arrived the Yakubu Gowon Airport onboard Arik Air, I was full of nostalgia and apprehension. Indeed, I look forward to an evening of relaxation after a one-hour flight.

“Around 7pm, I took a walk around the city, expecting to see burnt houses and dilapidated structures as a result of the news of the impeached Speaker and LGA Chairmanship tussle that have engulfed the State. I was rather disappointed as I saw a large number of white guests in the lobby, the restaurant and bar, with street lights on the major roads. These sights suddenly reshaped my impression and I realised that normalcy may have returned in Jos.

“As I got to my hotel room, I couldn’t stop marveling at how much the city of Jos and indeed the whole of Plateau State had changed into a city that can best be described as home of peace and tourism.

“The following morning, I went to the popular terminus market, I stood still as I watched traders and buyers transacting peacefully. It was hard to believe that Plateau could come alive in this form as against the negative news making the rounds as a result of the incessant crises that has occupied the media space”, he said.

However the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Dan Manjang, had issued a statement asking the public not to allow themselves to be used by the former governor, Sen. Jonah Jang who had promised to lead a protest against the impeachment be of the Speaker.

According to Manjang: “The attention of the Plateau State Government has been drawn to a statement purportedly issued by a former Governor of the State, Senator David Jonah Jang, wherein he raised among other issues, the recent happenings at the Plateau State House of Assembly and offered to lead a public protest of his supporters to reverse the situation.

“The Government is shocked not only by the accusations and attacks by the former Governor on the person of Governor Simon Lalong, but by the boldness of the former Governor to attempt to change the narrative and preach what he has never believed throughout his political life, all in a bid to fool the gullible members of the public.

“Alas, the face behind the mask has been unveiled by no other than the masquerade himself. For those who have been looking for the person behind the ugly stage-managed incidences in Plateau State which culminated into the recent impeachment saga at the House of Assembly, the answer has come out in the most unexpected and spectacular manner.

“While we do not intend to dignify the former Governor who is the least qualified to preach any morality about democracy in Plateau State and Nigeria because of his anti-democratic credentials, we deem it necessary to put the records straight and save the people of Plateau State and other discerning Nigerians from being whitewashed with false propaganda shrouded in sentiments”, the Commissioner said in a statement.

The State government has demonstrated efforts in ensuring peace, especially with the establishment of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA), and the inauguration of the Inter-religious Council, as part of efforts to facilitate sustainable peace in the State.

“Government believes that every dispute should be subjected to the rule of law and due process followed in resolving every disagreement, but most often some few privileged politicians preferred to take laws into their hands and ferment trouble in other to discredit the Governor”, Manjang said.