More calls have continued to be made to the Governor Simon Lalong led administration in Plateau State to postpone the upcoming Local Government elections in the State.
As a group under the aegis of Some Concerned Elders of Plateau State has called on the State Government not to conduct Local Polls in the state, saying "Plateau state is still mourning the precious lives that were and in some cases are still being needlessly murdered especially in Jos North and Bassa LGAs of the state which necessitated the imposition of lengthy curfews in at least three of three LGAs of the Northern senatorial district".
It would be recalled that two days ago, the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria YOWICAN, the Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria WOWICAN in the State and Plateau Northern Senatorial Zone of Ethnic Youth Nationalities has called on the Governor Simon Lalong led administration to resist the temptation of being insensitive to the plight of the citizenry by refraining from any attempt of conducting the elections in Jos North and Bassa LGAs pending when there is much more stable peace and calm.
Addressing journalists in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, ahead of the 9th October, 2021 Local Government elections, through the Groups Spokesman, Dr Dachollom Jambol.
The Groups also said it will amount to insensitivity by government as citizens in the State particularly those in Bassa and Jos North LGA are still mourning the dead and are yet to recovered from the "pains and agony of their losses with very little done by the government in assuring and ensuring their security and safety is guaranteed".
"For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that we are not politicians and do not belong to any political platform, but are a group of elders who are concerned with the peace and stability of the state.
"In fact we wish to commend the PLSG for making arrangements for the conduct of the elections in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"However we are deeply worried about the timing of the elections in view of recent happenings in the state. We wish to state that Plateau state is still mourning the precious lives that were and in some cases are still being needlessly murdered especially in Jos North and Bassa LGAs of the state which necessitated the imposition of lengthy curfews in at least three of three LGAs of the Northern senatorial district", the group explained.
Speaking on the security in University of Jos, the Elders said, "One major area of concern relates to the timing of the elections in view of the reopening of the University of Jos for academic activities.
"You will recall that following the breach of the peace which led to the killing of not less than 38 people in the Yelwa Zangam community, a village behind the University while the 24 hour curfew imposed by the PLSG was still subsisting, state governments and parents of students across the entire country had to make emergency arrangements to evacuate their children.
"It is not unlikely that several students may have lost their lives during the crises. It Is horrifying to note that as recently as this week; there have been reports of further killings in both irigwe and Pengana Chiefdoms of Bassa LGA.
"While we do not pray for any re-occurrence of the mindless violence that necessitated the closure of the University, we strongly insist that any event that could result in the breach of the peace in the state or any part thereof, be postponed to allow students finish their 2019/2020 academic session without any threat to their lives", the Elders stressed.
Recalling the history of LGA elections in the state, the Elders said, "Our demand above is justified by the contentious history of Local Government elections in the state from 1999 to date. It is on record that these elections have most of the time resulted in violence.
"That is why successive governments have always avoided elections especially in Jos North LGA due to its volatile tendencies and in some cases outcomes" they explained.
"It is on record that the present government had earlier in 2018 suspended local elections in 4 LGAs of the Northern Senatorial District including Jos North citing security concerns. We can state without contradiction that security arrangements in those LGAs have not improved but rather deteriorated", the Elders stressed.
0 Comments