By Gwamkat Gwamzhi and Iliya Kure
The Executive Arm of Government in Plateau State, central Nigeria, has debunked statements that it sealed the State House of Assembly to hamper the flow of legislative business in Jos, the state capital.
On Monday, there was heavy presence of security personnel at the State Assembly Complex, which raised suspicion among passers-by and stakeholders.
Same day, in an interview on Channels TV morning show, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Nuhu Abok, said the House had been sealed by security operatives, preventing flow of legislative activities.
Also, in a separate appearance on a live radio show, Chairman House Committee on Information, Philip Dusun, elaborated that the incident may not be unconnected with the rumour and fear of impeachment of Governor Simon Lalong.
But reacting to the claim in a statement, State Commissioner for Information, Dan Manjang, said, “We wish to make it abundantly clear that the Executive arm of Government and the Governor is not aware or behind the purported sealing of the House as it does not dabble into the affairs of another independent arm of Government.”
Manjang, who also condemned the comments of the Speaker of the House, on the TV programme said, “This false allegation has further been circulated on social media associating the Executive arm of Government and the Governor as being behind it.”
His statement says, “To the best of our knowledge, the House of Assembly remains open for legislative business.”
However, clarifying the situation at the State House of Assembly, Clerk of the House, Ponven Wuyep, confirmed to Journalists the presence of security personnel in the vicinity, but added that normal administrative activities were going on.
The Vanguard Newspaper specifically quoted the Clerk saying, “We came to work and saw the presence of security personnel in the vicinity, I was able to access my office. I am a civil servant, this thing has a political connotation, I don’t make comments about that but I am in my office. Officially, the House is on recess since last week Wednesday that they sat. I don’t know what the heating up of the polity is all about.
“The security at the gate did not ask anybody any question, we don’t have the intelligence report that is at their disposal, they are duty bound to protect Government facilities so if they have any report that something is going to happen, no one told us, they are just there.
The paper also quoted spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Gabriel Uba, who confirmed the presence of police on ground, saying the Assembly was not being sealed, “We got information that some people were going there to protest, we don’t know about what because we did not give any group clearance for such. The youths came around with placards for a peaceful protest and have dispersed, the area is calm now.”
Roots Of Impeachment Fear
Rumour has been making rounds that the State House of Assembly is planning to impeach the Governor.
This stems from the 2-week ultimatum issued to Governor Lalong by the State Assembly Members on Friday, asking the governor to come out with a statement and take a position with residents of the state who have suffered from spate of attacks and killings from unnamed attackers.
Last week, 33 people were killed in Yelwa Zangam community of Jos North local government area, despite the fact that the area was under a dusk to dawn curfew, leading to questions of how the killers were able to move freely under a curfew situation.
Following the attack, residents of the area staged a protest, leading to withdrawal of corpses of victims from the Hospital mortuary where they were kept. They marched with the corpses to the State House of Assembly, and later Government House, where they eventually dumped the corpses.
The community called on the State Assembly to commence the process of impeaching the State Governor for failing to protect residents of the state from incessant attacks.
Addressing the media, Youth leader of the community, Samson Manu, said the attack was well orchestrated with the assailants destroying the only bridge leading to the community, aimed at making rescue operation difficult.
He added that about three weeks back, there was tension in the area, “this people attacked our people, destroyed property, we were told that they visited yesterday evening to destroy the bridge there.”
According to Manu, residents had been brutalized, killed, burnt in their houses including pregnant women, slaughtered like animals” he lamented.
The incident led to the re-imposition of a 24hour curfew on Jos North area to curtail further breakdown of law and order.
But in a radio show appearance on Monday, Chairman House Committee on Information, Philip Dusun, said the legislators had no plans of impeaching the governor, adding that the House only gave the governor some recommendations.
“We did not say we will impeach the governor, we only said he should align with his people and not abandon them when they need him most.”
Dasun added that, “some of the resolutions we gave was that the governor visits victims of last week Yelwa Zangam community attack in Jos North of which he has. So, he is already aligning with our resolutions.”
Media Briefing By The House
The protests by residents of Yelwa Zangam has placed the House on its toes, leading to a press briefing by the lawmakers on Friday, they asked Governor Lalong to within 2-weeks, “come up with a statement defending us as a People and to bring back renewed commitment to the cause of Plateau.”
The lawmakers also said they were “expecting with high hopes, the President [Buhari] to also come up with a statement about the killings in Yelwa Zangam just as he did in the killings of travellers along Rukuba Road and to also indicate a sign of justice, or we will see him as being reflexive about the conflict in Plateau.”
The Lawmakers press briefing statement in parts also read, “As an Assembly committed to the yearnings and aspirations of our people, we deeply appreciate the calls made by Plateau people, both at home and in the Diaspora, for encouragement and tasking us to do the needful in order to save Plateau and its heritage.
“We also wish to put on record that we stand with Plateau people in this trying moment and assure them of our genuine commitment to the course of Plateau State.
“We also call on the Traditional Rulers to look inward and release the Local Security design to protect Plateau people as well as reinforce the Vigilante, Hunters and local wise men to defend our people.
“As a sign of commitment to this Urgent need for the People to protect themselves, the Plateau State House of Assembly has directed all Local Government Chairmen to suspend their planned recruitment of Adhoc Staff and instead recruit 200 Vigilante Personnel in each Local Government Area to boost and argument Local Intelligence Gathering
“The Security Operatives are called upon to fish out the perpetrators of the mayhem and be punished according to the Law.”
Governor’s Action Following Ultimatum
Following ultimatum by State House of Assembly, Governor Lalong had paid visit to the community to commiserate with them over the attacks. The government has also commenced distribution of relief materials to survivors of the attacks.
The governor on Monday in a state-wide broadcast has called for support to fish out perpetrators of violence in the state.
“The curfew in Jos North is to be relaxed, beginning from Monday 30th August 2021, the curfew shall be enforced from 6pm to 6am until further notice”.
“The curfew in Jos South and Bassa is to also be further relaxed. As from Monday 30th August 2021, the curfew shall be enforced between 10pm to 6am until further notice”.
The governor said, “already, the State Government has procured relief materials which are being distributed to the victims in various locations.
“On Friday, the Peace Building Agency also delivered relief materials donated by USAID to displaced communities in Bassa. We shall continue to partner with more humanitarian organisations towards alleviating the suffering of the victims.”
What Next For The State House Of Assembly?
The State House of Assembly is currently on a Three-Week Recess, but the Members are expected to meet for an Executive Session soon.
Commenting, an analyst, Mr Tom Ephraim Beam, said two things will happen when the legislators resume from their Recess, “they either stand on their grounds, or give way to the wishes of the governor.”
According to him, the Plateau State House of Assembly had been docile, acting more like a rubber stamp to the Governor, but they have “suddenly woken up” to their responsibility of holding the executive arm to account.
By this action, “the Governor himself is taken unexpectedly,” he said, adding that “we will see the full drama when they resume.”
