Jos North APC Protests Over Speaker Of The Ninth Assembly In Plateau

Yakubu Busari

There was a mild drama after the election of the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, as the All Progressives Congress, APC, Jos North Local Government Council demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the way and manner the exercise was conducted on Monday.

The supporters of Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassan accused Governor Simon Bako Lalong of impunity and imposition of the candidate against the Muslim qualified candidate whose credentials and the experience was thrown under the Carpet, in spite of the overwhelming support given the Governor in the just concluded polls.

The news of Rt Hon Abok Nuhu Ayuba a 500L student of the law University of Jos who emerged the Speaker was received with shock and disbelief by party faithful, who believed that the spirit of zoning favour the most qualified and experienced politician of higher repute.

The protesters who were predominantly Muslims and Christians in Plateau state see the election of a first timer as a drawback and miscarriage of the 9th Assembly journey.

The fate of democracy after 20 years of transition has been full of confusion and miscalculation by the power brokers who are pursuing an agenda that breeds hatred and conflict of personal interest.

Spokesman of the youths, Alh Garba Mohammed described the election of the Plateau state house of Assembly as gang up to frustrate the Muslim minority under the Governor Simon Lalong regime.

We the Hausa, Fulani community of Jos North LGA supported Lalong with our blood but in return, he hated us with passion.

Even though Former Governor Sen.Jonah David Jang whom we didn’t support that time was the first person that recognized the Jos North Muslim community by giving us Deputy Speaker Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassan then.

They blamed the Government for orchestrating plan to deny them the opportunity to become the Speaker of the ninth assembly even with the kind of support.

Meanwhile, Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassan has called for calm among the good people of his constituency. He said, “I am now an elder in the state assembly so I enjoined our people especially those youths in APC not to abandon the party but to support the leadership of Abok Nuhu Ayuba who is my younger brother.”

He appealed to the Muslim community to remain committed to the peaceful coexistence of Plateau, adding that the state is bigger than an individual, According to him, my ambition for the position of speaker is not worth of shedding innocent blood.

He maintained that as an advocate of peace he will continue to ensure that peace reigns in Jos North LGA, as he said we must love ourselves, and understands our purpose as a people.