DON’T PLAY POLITICS WITH PEOPLE’S LIVES: GROUP CHIDES HOUSE MEMBER FOR ACCUSING GOVERNOR LALONG OF SLEEPING
First, we will like to condemn in totality the barbaric and irresponsible attacks on the people of Bassa and Riyom Local Governments perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen who carried out what is a well planned and orchestrated ethnic cleansing of the Irigwe and Berom people.
We are worried that this wanton destruction of lives and property is coming at a time when the Government of Plateau State under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong is working assiduously to consolidate on the progress made in restoring peace in the State and bringing back confidence.
While the Governor has been up and doing, engaging and directing security agencies to do their job by going after these killers and arresting them, we were taken aback by the appearance of the Member Representing Bassa/Rukuba Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly Hon. Musa Agah in Jay FM on Tuesday 3rd August 2021, where he accused Governor Lalong of sleeping while the people were being killed.
In the video which has been trending on social media, the member claimed that they went to see Governor Simon Lalong and were told after one hour that he was sleeping. According to him, “quote me anywhere, it happened in my very presence, that is what we were told”.
In the carefully arranged video, another guest was seen gleefully responding by saying “can you imagine?” and the presenter sarcastically added: “He is sleeping! Honourable Governor Simon Lalong His Excellency was sleeping? That’s what you were told even not by him but at least those saddled with the responsibility to give you information, that is the information they passed to you”.
While we do not have any problems with Hon. Musa Agah going on radio to express his democratic rights of expression, we take exception to his desperate attempt to make political capital out of his people’s misfortune by disparaging the Governor and tarnishing his image in a choreographed appearance we have every reason to believe was sponsored.
We want the Member who has demonstrated a dis-Honourable attitude to answer the following germaine questions:
1. If truly he went to see the Governor, what was his mission and who exactly told him the Governor was asleep?
2. Why did he speak as if he had an appointment to see the Governor and was ignored? If he was given an appointment, what time was he given? Is he familiar with emergency protocols and did he exhaust them in his bid to see the Governor?
3. If he claimed he went there concerning the Bassa attacks, was he representing the House of Assembly or himself? Was he conveying a House Resolution? Is that the protocol of the House?
4. Assuming we are to believe that his story is true, what else did he do when he was told the Governor was sleeping? Did he move to see the Deputy Governor, SSG, Chief of Staff, Chairman Bassa LGA, Commissioner of Police, DPO Bassa, GOC 3 Division, Commander Operation Safe Haven or any other person? Or were they all sleeping too?
5. What is the normal channel for communication between the House or its members with the Governor even in emergencies? Did he follow it?
6. If he could not see the Governor on the said occasion as he claims, did he try again since it was an emergency?
7. If not for political mischief and propaganda, why did he choose radio as his last option of meeting the Governor. Why did he not complain to any other person that could take up the matter or wake the Governor up?
8. Did he also announce on radio previously that he was going to see the Governor?
9. Is it a crime for the Governor to sleep? Does the Member stay awake for 24 hours?
10. What is his mission on this publicity stunt?
While we await his answers, we want to bring to the attention of discerning people that the bogus claims of Hon. Musa Agah are spurious and aimed at embarrassing His Excellency Governor Lalong with a view to casting him in a bad light and making gullible persons believe he is responsible for the attacks in Bassa and Riyom LGAs.
Let us remind the member that Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong to date remains the longest-serving Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly who does not only revere the Institution and its members, but has demonstrated that he respects its leadership and aspirations. Little wonder, he was the first Governor to implement full Autonomy for the House throughout Nigeria.
Again, the Governor has never refused to see the Speaker or House Members whenever they seek his audience except when it is practically impossible. For the Member to now impute that he came to see the Governor without an appointment and was told that he was sleeping is therefore preposterous, mischievous and cheap political manoeuvring by someone who perhaps has nothing to tell his people.
The fundamental issues raised and 10 posers to the Lawmaker are sufficient to ridicule his bad intentions. He must provide answers to them. In addition, we wonder what he has done on his part as Representative of his Constituency.
a). Given the incessant crisis in the area, the past months/years, what proactive measures and peacebuilding strategies has he put in place and other ways forward?
b). Since the eruption of violence, what has he done as a political leader?
Running to Govt. House to see the Governor rather than being with his people to assuage their feelings is mere grandstanding and eye-service least expected of a Lawmaker! This is Shameful!!
That’s not how to get cheap popularity in a crisis. Indeed this is irresponsible behaviour that is condemnable.
As for Jay FM and its presenter Zoe Machunga, we are not surprised that the professional standards of journalism and broadcasting have been thrown to the dustbin on the altar of emotions and politics. The presenter continues to sustain her journey to unprofessionalism by handing over the public space to frustrated and disgruntled individuals to discredit their perceived enemies and castigate most especially the Lalong Administration. We advise her to fold her sleeves and fully get into the political ring instead of doing the dirty job of fighting perceived political opponents of her paymaster.
For a presenter to express surprise that someone like the Governor is sleeping not in his office, but at home when there was nothing pre-arranged to warrant otherwise, shows how sensational and shallow she can be. She failed to even simply ask the necessary questions to ascertain the dis-Honourable Members’ claims, but rather joined the destructive train with excitement. If only she asked the 10 questions raised for the member above, she would have made him run out of the studios with his tail between his legs.
OUR DEMANDS
Based on the above, we demand the following:
1. An immediate retraction of the baseless claim by the House Member and a written apology to the Governor and people of Plateau State.
3. We need the Speaker of the House to look into this misconduct that is capable of tarnishing the good image of the House.
2. The caution of Jay FM by the National Broadcasting Commission to adhere to the broadcast code especially as it relates to balance, objectivity and fair hearing.
Should the member fail to apologise within 24 hours, we shall be left with no option other than to approach the Rt. Hon. Speaker and Leadership of the House to commence disciplinary action against him for bringing it to disrepute and pitching it against another arm of Government.
Finally, we urge the citizens of Plateau State to rise and support the Government to deal with a common enemy that is bent on disrupting the peace of the State. This is no time for politics, blame game and peddling lies and propaganda. It will only benefit the enemy whose main goal is to kill, steal and destroy. If people like the Member has nothing to offer in resolving the challenges of his constituency, then he has no right to distract a Governor that is very busy trying to find a solution to the persistent problem.
We all must build a greater Plateau and protect our Heritage by Thinking and Acting Plateau.
THE RESCUE MONITORING TEAM
Freelance Reporters 