Plateau locals protest against appointment of Hausa/Fulani as council chairman

Plateau State

The People of Jos, Plateau State have protested against Governor Simon Lalong’s appointment of non-indigene and candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Shehu Bala, as management committee chairman for Jos North Council Area.

Spokesperson of the Autochthonous Persons of Jos (APJ), Theresa Azi Nyako, who spoke yesterday at a media briefing in Jos, urged Governor Lalong to direct the Plateau Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to conduct election in Jos North, Jos South, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom councils where elections were suspended for security reasons.

Nyako who was flanked by community leaders of Afizere, Anaguta and Berom said they were ready to die in defence of their land, which was bequeathed to them by their forefathers.

“We want to state in clear, unmistakable and unambiguous terms that we reject and condemn the suppression of our franchise in Jos North local government among others.

“The imposition of a non-indigene who also double as the APC candidate during the pendency elections completely rubbishes global best democratic practices, it is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

“It is a great disservice to our people in particular and indeed Plateau State in general as it has the capability to breach peace in the tin city. It makes a mockery of Governor Lalong’s pillars of his purported three point agenda,” she stated.

Meanwhile, there is uneasy calm in the state, as youths have protested against the continued appointment of transition committee chairmen in Jos North, Jos South, Riyom and Barkin Ladi councils.

The youths have been media briefings stress their disenchantment with the caretaker committee chairmen being constantly appointed by Governor Lalong, claiming insecurity for his action.They planned a protest for yesterday, but they were betrayed by some moles in their midst, which led to a leak of the plan to the state government.

In a statement issued yesterday by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dan Manjang, the state government said its attention has been drawn to a planned protest by some of individuals with regard to the recent constitution of four transition management committees in the councils.

It reminded members of the public that the law banning public procession was still in force and that security agencies have been adequately informed and mandated to be on the red alert to deal decisively with any miscreants bent on truncating peace in the state.Manjang also enjoined the people of the state to distance themselves from any unwholesome behaviour, and advised any aggrieved party to seek redress in a constitutional and civilised manner.

 Source; The Guardian