Why We Are Druming Support For Faisal Maitala Haruna For Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency Seat -BYVDD
Yakubu Ventim
A group of youth in Bassa and Jos North under the aegis of Vanguard for Deepening of Democracy (BYVDD) has drummed support to the candidature of Engr. Faisal, the eldest son of late Hon. Haruna Maitala for the Bye-Election for Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.
Addressing a press conference in Jos, the spokesman of the group, Achigak Michael Amanya stated that the decision became necessary having found out that Engr. Faisal was instrumental to the huge successes recorded by his late father when he represented the Constituency before his demise.
The group said that it has reached on its decision after incisive research on what was responsible for late Hon. Maitala monumental achievements. “Recall that Hon. Haruna Maitala of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who represented the Constituency died in an auto crash on April 02, 2021 on his way to Jos from Abuja to attend the wedding of his first son, Engr. Faisal.
“The demise of Hon. Maitala is a monumental loss to not only his family, but the Constituency, Plateau State House of Representatives and Nigeria at large.
“This is so when you consider the significant achievement he recorded in just two years that he was in the Green Chamber. He was adjudged by many media reports to be the best representative the Constituency ever produced since the advent of this democratic dispensation in 1999”.
The group catolog some of the achievements of late Hon. Maitala to include: construction of 2 classroom blocks at Community Secondary school Gangare, Construction of 2 classroom blocks each at GSS Kabong and GSS Kisagyip in Jos North and Rukuba Chiefdom Bassa LGA. Others include, construction of 2 classroom blocks each at GSS Kwall, Higher Islamic Secondary School Jengre all in Bassa LGA, renovation of Jos-Jengre-Saminaka road, construction of 3km Asphalt road Rimi Pengana Chiefdom Bassa LGA. Empowerment of over 1000 women in the Constituency with N10,000 starts-up capital.
The group added that as part of late Maitala’s agricultural revolution program, he distributed to Constituents in Bassa and Jos North LGAs. Also stated by the group was that as part of his intervention program in educational sector, Late Maitala footed the WAEC/JAMB examination fees of over 1000 deserving students across the Constituency. Speaking further of late Maitala’s achievements, the group said “In response to the growing insecurity in some parts of the Constituency, he donated two Hilux Vans to vigilante groups in susceptible areas to boost their morale, improve their operational and response capacity in order to curb insecurity that was becoming the order of the day and threatening the well-being of members of the Constituency.
“Four tricycles were also donated to four deserving Constituents to empower them and strengthen their economic base so as to reduce unemployment.”
Chairman of BYVDD Achigak Michael Amanya (m) flanked by EXCO members of the group during a press briefing in Jos on Thursday
BYVDD further stated that the death of Maitala is a big blow to not his Constituents but Nigeria at large stating that long before the declaration of the seat vacant, it has watched with keen interest, tricks, intricks and manipulations and gimmicks by few politicians whose interest is to sustained their egos. It said that the essence of the press briefing was to let the whole world know of the intention of the group which was borne out of well and detailed research on the subject matter. Consequently, the group said “We have been able to find out that Engr. Faisal was highly instrumental to late Hon. Maitala successes.
“A strategic thinker and grassroot mobilizer, Faisal holds a Bachelors Degree in Engineering from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
“A member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Faisal Engr. Faisal worked with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO).
“We understand he designed the frame work of the campaign Manifesto of his late father and ensured the implementation of same to the latter.
“No wonder, he stood firmly and ensured that the second phase of Empowerment program earlier planned by his father before his death was not deterred, hijacked or overshadowed by vested interest but reached the intended beneficiaries effectively in June 2021.
“Consequently, over 1000 items (ranging from motorcycles to pumping, grinding and sewing machines, power generators etc) were distributed to Constituents who of course cut across ethnic and religious backgrounds.
“Members of the press, it may interest you to know that not too long ago, Engr. Faisal also lobbied for 16 Solar Energy Panels through the the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Idris Maje and have since been installed at New Market Jos” said BYVDD.
The Chairman of the group added that Engr. Faisal have been having series of discussions with the Deputy Speaker and the official of Federal Ministry of Agriculture to release funds for the construction of 3 kilometer Asphalt roads in Zagun and Kwall all in Rukuba and Irigwe Chiefdoms of Bassa LGAs which have been lobbied by his late father and approved by the said ministry.
The group also said that it has engaged Engr. Faisal on one-on-one interaction and drew its conclusion that indeed, he is capable of taking over where his father stopped and even do more. “He is humane, calm, gentle but calculative. He listens more but talk less.
“Engr. Faisal is also down-to-earth. For the fact that he has successfully managed his family business over the years is a selling point.
“It is for these reasons that BYDD hereby, endorses the aspiration of Engineer Faisal Haruna Maitala who is the eldest son for the Bye-Election for the seat of Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.
“We also call on all people of conscience to see reason for our endorsement. Our decision is based on selfless and sincere considerations.
“Our decision is to also ensure continuity because we strongly believe Faisal would easily leveraged on the alliance his late father built in the National Assembly to attract further development to the Constituency.
“More so that he has been part of the strategic initiatives that enhanced his father’s achievement in the National Assembly.
“Considering his nature also, Faisal would be opened to constructive engagements and sensitive to our suggestions. Therefore, a vote for Engr. Faisal is a vote for continuity, more development and by extension better Constituency.
“It is instructive to equally note that here that from our interactions with him, he would concentrate in making laws that would promote our collective happiness and well-being”.
The Chairman said that the group was not unmindful of the fact that as a young man, Engr. Faisal has been constantly abused as age has been adopted and used as instrument of deception and to manipulate the youths by those that have been on the political stage for quite long with nothing to show for it. He also described as unfortunate that it is only in Plateau State that age has been adopted as yardstick for measuring qualifications of those aspiring for political positions positions rather than previous antecedents or what they promised to offer. It is for this reason that the Chairman said the group would in the coming days embarked on aggressive Campaign of awareness across the Constituency to enable Constituents understand its position.
He said that one key factor that would strongly support the take of the group was the already position adopted by the political parties in the state regarding legisltors who died in offices long before the death of Hon. Maitala and we’re replaced through consensus by ether their wives or those from the same District.
The Chairman gave instances when Hon. Dogara who represented Quaa’an Pan in the state Assembly during Joshua Dariye died an was replaced by his wife, the late Hon. Gyang Fulani during Jonah David Jang who was replaced by his wife after his death, Hon. Ezekiel Afon former member who represented Pengana state Constituency was replaced by Hon. Yakubu Sanda who incidentally, is the current Speaker Plateau State House of Assembly who are all from Buji District, the Senator Ignatius Longjan who represented Plateau Southern Senatorial Zone in the State who equally was replaced by Nora Daduut from the same District.
The group further stressed that though the arrangement may not be necessarily be in line with any constitutional provision, it has been an internal arrangements by political parties in the state which has over time, helped to promote inclusion, managed succession-related conflicts and thereby, promoted peaceful coexistence. “It would do our fragile democracy a whole lot of good if this precedence is sustained with regards to Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.
“It is for this reason that we are calling on Governor Simon Lalong and the APC to look into this with high degree of consideration.”
The group made it categorically clear that its endorsement of Engr. Faisal Maitala was not a claim for birth right but a decision borne out of conviction that he is first and foremost, qualified in all ramifications to contest for the Bye-Election in excercise of his franchise as law abiding citizen. “Secondly, we strongly believe that he is more likely to continue from where his father stopped having been instrumental to the blueprint which propelled the successes by his father at the National Assembly”, the group said.
Recall that after the death of Hon. Haruna Maitala, the seat has remained vacant for over seven months until three weeks that the seat was declared vacant by the House of Representatives. It’s obvious that by now, the decision of the House has been transmitted to INEC to enable the electoral umpire kickstart process of the Bye-Election to replace the late member.
