News from our corresponding partners suggests that the Koffiar and Pan people of the Namu farming district of Qu’anpan LGA at the weekend, have issued a strongly worded plea to the Lalong administration, that they Governor and his aides should desist in attempting to interfere with the installation of the new Long Jan (i.e., the traditional stool of the district). They stressed that the stool is the heritage of only Namu natives and should not be interfered with by external influences.

It would be recalled that there has been long standing animosity between the Pan people of Namu district and the current administration, over allegations of being overlooked in appointments and the recent debacle emanating from PLSG’s attempt to deforest parts of the Pandam game reserve.

Rumours (yet to be verified) over the past few weeks in Jos, have circulated that the Governor was attempting to install a new Long Jan from the Goemai tribe which Lalong belongs to. These rumours have remained unsubstantiated, even as ViewPointNigeria attempted to get through to the commissioner for Local Government affairs for his position.

It would be recalled that the seat of the Long Jan has been a subject of controversy since 2005, when crisis between the Pan and Goemai ethnic groups erupted, forcing the then Long Jan, late Kwande Allah-Nana Umaru II into exile.

In a press briefing held at Pandam Game Reserve in Qua’an Pan LGA, the community through Barrister Albert Kobep stated, “We the indigenous Koffiar and Pan people of Namu view with consternation the attempt to set in motion events which if allowed to unfold, will cause grievous consequences to the peaceful co-existence of the Koffiar/Pan people in Namu, Qua’an Pan L.G.A, Plateau state.”

In response to the press briefing, the special adviser to Lalong on Media, Mark Longyen yesterday said the position of community was speculative and presumptious. Saying there was no indication that Lalong or his government was planning to install a Long Jan especially since the matter was in court.

On the issue of being overlooked in appointments by the governor, the media aide urged the community to be patient on the issue, pointing our that “The Chief of Staff to the Governor and Acting Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service are of Pan heritage. “We call for understanding, everyone will be carried along”.

Speaking about the alleged plans by the government to deforest the Pandang game reserve, Longyen described the allegation as mischievous, stating “ How can a governor who recently sasid he was working to make the reserve functional in order to boost revenue generation, be planning ot hack the place down?”.

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Namu Traditional Stool: Community accuses Lalong of attempting to install crony