The attack on Plateau State Government by the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is nothing but absurd tirade and farce breed by shame, envy and jealousy.
The press statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, John Akans, dated 4th April, 2020, titled
“PLATEAU STATE IN A PRECARIOUS STATE. DEVASTATED BY A FAILED LEADERSHIP” and made available to journalists, only reveals the frustration and nakedness of the state chapter of the PDP and lies its members hold unto as a means of politicking which came into being since the political pirates unseat the patriotic founders of the party and ushered in the most deadly and devastating political style that plunged Plateau into democratic dung pit, economic ashes and ethno-religious crises ridden state.
The PDP is expected to appreciate the benevolence of Governor Lalong in his gigantic strides in stemming insecurity in Plateau State and rekindling the flames of peaceful coexistence the state once enjoyed before the advent of the current crop of the PDP into Plateau mainstream politics.
It is amazing and pitiable to read and hear the PDP claiming love for Plateau State. This is the same party that moved for the imposition of the perverted state of emergency on the state on May 18, 2004. The same party moved for its extension if not for General Yakubu Gowon’s intervention when he pleaded with then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for the lift of the emergency rule as a birthday gift. The same party executed illegal impeachment on Dariye led administration to get to power. How would a party which justifies illegality claims patriotism?
After the emergency rule Plateau State enjoyed peace for a span of three years and some months until when this current structure of the PDP took over power in 2007. A year and some months into its reign the gates of hell opened very wide and blood thirsty demons took over and the state knew no peace for their eights years sojourn in government.
It all started when the PDP administration embarked on conducting the 2009 Local Government elections and was warned by stakeholders and the State Security Service (SSS) not to conduct Jos North Local Government elections. But it was defiant and went ahead and conducted the elections. Since the uprising that greeted the elections the state got into insecurity status.
In the midst of insecurity, in 2012 a peace parley was held in Hill Station Hotel Conference Hall and a retired DIG of Police advised the PDP administration to have a sitting with the Ulamas of Jos North and Christian clergy to address the issue of insecurity squarely, but Governor Jang said he won’t do it. And that if Ulamas and clergy have problems they should contact the Gbong Gwom. He said when the Operation Rainbow becomes fully operational it will address insecurity and bring peace.
When the PDP administration heard of the possible attack on Dogo Nahawa, the only thing the administration did was to claim that it informed the General Officer Commanding 3Armoured Division, General Saleh Maina who refuted the claim. The administration admitted it got the information, but how did it safeguard the lives of the people of Dogo Nahawa?
What security measures did the PDP administration put in place to protect lives and properties aside massive protests by its members that they want the STF replaced with Mobile Police?
Finally Jang who made bogus claims that his Military experience will help him bring peace in the state, ended up crying and blaming God for making him a governor just to wake up every morning to hear that his people are killed.
The annoying thing was the PDP administration was a darling and paddy of the presidency, which was a great advantage to the state in providing security, but it blatantly failed to due to bankruptcy of ideas on how to bring peace.
The PDP administration eluded peace amongst the tribes in Plateau. Which tribe will want its promoted traditional paramount stool reverted to its former status quo? Which areas would want their newly created districts scrapped? Which areas would want their newly created local government development areas dissolved? Which community will want a university sited there dissolved? All these provocative ingredients of war were mixed in Plateau’s broth by the PDP administration.
The PDP lost its grip on the Plateau because of its selfish policy against the state. It blatantly abused the gentleman agreement of power rotation and insisted that power must be retained in Du.
When Lalong came on board as governor, he exhibited grand leadership qualities which are; leadership by not taking sides, and continuum in governance.
Rev Jesse Jackson said, “Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together.” As Chief security officer of the state Lalong set up a peace and reconciliation committee to end attacks between the Berom versus the Fulani in some parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South Local Government Areas. When peace started returning, the PDP rushed for a press conference on May 30, 2017, and condemned the return of peace saying the state is sitting on a keg of gun powder. Other peace initiatives of the Lalong administration include; construction of Mobile Police Barracks in Shendam, Airforce base in Kerang and Peace Watch Tower in Dutse Uku. He set up Peace Building Agency and Community Policing. These efforts are commendable and only insanity will view such efforts as farce.
The refugees he inherited from the PDP administration have been returned to their ancestral homes and a Mobile Police Barracks is being constructed at the volatile area in Gashish, Barkin Ladi.
Lalong is completing the projects he found on ground. That is a quality the PDP administration didn’t exhibit. This shows he wants peace with the PDP and has recognized the projects they executed, unlike the PDP’s attack on Dariye’s legacies which only nonsensical and irresponsible government will do.
On the issue of Coronavirus, Lalong has done well in seeking and quarantining suspects who turned out to be negative. He has set up treatment areas in all the zones of the state despite no case is found yet. Can the PDP tell us the efforts of its administration against the Ebola when George Sawyer brought it to Nigeria? What did they do no matter how little? I guess they were waiting until the water level reached our neck before they act, whereas Chinua Achebe said, “If you find water rising up to your ankle, that’s the time to do something about it, not when it’s around your neck.” Kudos to Governor Lalong for observing Achebe’s submission and the saying, “Early preparation avoids regret.” God saved us from the Ebola using the relentless efforts of then Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, if not, with the unpreparedness of the PDP administration on the Plateau, we would have been in a burning hell of Ebola epidermic.
It is right for Lalong to carry everyone along during this period of pandemic particularly the patriots. As for the PDP I will advise him to dine with them with a long spoon that’s the truth!
As for recent attacks in some parts of Bassa, it is wrong to say he is not arresting suspects. It was in search of the assailants that Ardos and villages chiefs were arrested after the attack in Bokkos this year.
The recent attacks in some parts of Bassa are unfortunate, and disheartening. Our security operatives should intensify efforts to restore peace, and it’s my earnest prayer that God should expose the attackers and their sponsors to be arrested.
MiddleBelt Reporters 