The Taroh people of Langtang in Plateau South Senatorial District of Plateau state have appealed to the state governor, Simon Lalong, to immediately put machineries in motion for the installation of another traditional ruler, the Ponzhi Taroh.

The people lamented that two years after the former Minister of Defence, Gen. Domkat Bali, was forced to abdicate the traditional stool following the controversies that attended his ascension, the Taroh people have been without a ruler, thus heightening tension in the area.

President of Gazum Cultural, Economic and Social Development Organisation, (GACESDO), Mr. Clement Chirman, who spoke on behalf of the Taroh people in Jos on Friday, also appealed to the governor to jettison the 2010 gazette, which was the bone of contention and upon which the former ruler was selected and use the old gazette of 1975.

Chirman said that former Governor Jonah Jang had enacted a new gazette in a bid to exclude some ruling houses from the throne, adding that the Taroh people have never before been divided until recent times.

He said that since the last Ponzhi Taroh, Mr. Edward Zhattau died and Bali was forced on the people, the community had not known peace, adding that the resignation of Bali should be the stepping stone to restoring peace in the area.

According to him, “The resignation of Bali has been politicized as some people were taking advantage of the non-selection of a successor to divide the Taroh people. Jang had deliberately enacted a new gazette solely for the purpose of excluding the Gazum people from contesting for the stool because the 2010 is not known to us and not a product of our collective wish as a people”.

“We, as Taroh people have never been divided until the recent times because of the problems created by the last administration and we are appealing to the governor to set the necessary modalities for the selection of a new Ponzhi Taroh.

“Now that he was forced to resign, the government should avoid the mistake of the past by putting in place appropriate mechanism to select another Ponzhi Taroh for us using the 1975 gazette.”

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Taroh community task Lalong over selection of new paramount ruler