Crisis rocks Plateau assembly over mgt c’ttee

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Plateau state House of Assembly staged a walk out Wednesday following a request by the state governor, Simon Lalong, for the house to approve the appointment of new Management Committee in four local governments.

Plenary was disrupted when the speaker of the house read out a memo sent to the house by the state governor Simon Lalong in respect of the above request.

The crisis forced the house adjourned unceremoniously to avoid violence clash among members.

The house immediately became divided as soon as the executive memo was presented as the Majority APC members and Minority PDP Members could not agree on the request of the governor.

The PDP members opposed the decision of the Governor based on 1999 Constitution Section 7, subsection (1) and (2) of the Constitution which allows for the Democratic elected LG chairmen at LGA level.

All the PDP members opposed the submission the said request by the Governor describing it as illegal move to deny the rural populace of leader of their choice. They also described it as a rape on Democracy.

The Speaker, Ayuba Abok, and all the APC members, insisted the house must endorse the executive memo. The next action that followed was that the PDP members in the house staged a walkout of the chambers in protest.

Minority leader of the house and member Representing Barkin Ladi constituency Hon Peter Gyendeng accompanied by all the PDP members while briefing journalists said the action of their colleagues in approving the appointment of the APC candidates is not only illegal, but undemocratic and full-blown dictatorship gearing towards disfranchising the people by denying them the right and liberty to chose their representatives.

“We the PDP members want to make it clear that anything short of the rule of law and due process from the APC led government in this regard will not only be vehemently rejected but will be fought to a standstill.

However, the Plateau state chapter of the Peoples Democratic party,(PDP) in a press statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Hon John Akans, said the undemocratic and act of illegality and injustice will be resistance by the people of Plateau state.

“As a party that believes in the rule of law and also that represents the interest and mandates of majority votes on the plateau, we are on this note sending a very strong words of caution to plateau state independent electoral commission (PLASIEC), APC and the state government that any undemocratic act of illegality and injustice will face appropriate resistance from the people of plateau state.”

In spite of the protest by the opposition party, the appointment management committee was later sworn in at the Banquet Hall of government house Rayfield, Jos, by Gov Lalong.