By Israel Joel
Stalwarts of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State, on Wednesday, warned the House of Assembly Speaker, Ayuba Abok, against expanding the ethnoreligious divide in the state as a result of the recent crisis which led to several deaths and destruction of properties.
The Stalwarts who spoke in Jos the Plateau State capital at an emergency meeting to address the reoccurrence of crisis in the state said some politicians have infiltrated the House of Assembly and are taking advantage of the unrest in Jos to score unnecessary political points.
Speaking on behalf of the APC chieftains, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, said the interview granted by the speaker on national television about the crisis and putting the government in a bad light was uncalled for, adding that the other recent activities of the house in response to the situation on the ground were not in the interest of the people, but to polarize the state and cause more division among the people.
Zazzaga said the speaker should therefore tender a public apology to the people of the state as well as the government within one week, otherwise, the chieftains of the party will take stern action against him and the other party members politicizing the crisis.
He said the speaker who is the number three citizen in the state should have had an audience with Governor Simon Lalong to discuss issues concerning the state rather than going on air to rant.
He said all those instigating the speaker and the legislators against Governor Lalong’s administration cut across both the PDP and the APC, and that they (the APC bigwigs) know who the people are and would reveal their identity in due time.
Zazzaga urged the speaker to tow the path of peace and statesmanship, and should not allow anyone or group to use him to work against the interest and progress of the state, stressing that should the state be engulfed in crisis, everyone would be affected irrespective of status or position.
According to him, the Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA), whom the speaker claimed is not doing much, has been doing tremendous work to engender sustainable peace on the Plateau, noting that the speaker can equally use his good office to garner support for the good work the agency is doing so that they can succeed with their mandate.
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In addition to the PPBA, he said, Governor Lalong also established Plateau Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (PLASMIDA) to cater to the needs of small and medium time business owners.
He, therefore, warned that henceforth, any person or group who engages in a smear campaign against the administration, politicization crisis, or using it to score a cheap political point, will expose such persons and report them to appropriate authorities for necessary disciplinary action.
And where necessary, he added, legal actions would be taken against such persons so that they can face the full wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.
