Following the re-constitution of new Local Government caretaker committee members by Gov. Lalong, the social media became a theater of war of words by those opposed to the decision and those in support. ViewPointNigeria monitored the concerns and responses of some Plateau youth figures and political stakeholders in this regard. Some of the comments are:

D’yong Mangut*

“With the approval of the appointment of a new set of illegal Caretakers in the Local Governments today by the Plateau State House of Assembly, a new political ideology which is an antithesis of democracy coined by Gov. Lalong of Plateau State has been added to the lexicon of the strange style of Governance the APC led Government has continued to impose on our people.

Sadly, we have reached a point that we must admit we don’t have a State House of Assembly.

After every four years, the quality of representation keeps going down, a negative turn which if we don’t address in 2019 may lead to the collapse of separation of powers with its attendant check and balance and legalise impunity.

If Lawmakers who are constitutionally empowered to make law can merge with a totalitarian Executive to rob the people at the grassroot of their inalienable right to vote Executives and Legislators at the Local level, then democracy is dead because the legitimacy of any democracy is derived from the people.

If i may ask;

Which section of Nigerian constitution is Plateau State House of Assembly relying on in their collaboration with the Executive in appointing caretakers in the LGA’s for now more than two years?

Is the Plateau State House of Assembly and Executive knowledgeable about what a judicial precedence means and its implications on those who out of their volition keep on violating it?

If Plateau State House of Assembly is alive to its constitutional responsibilities, Gov Lalong ought to have been impeached by now for his continuous violation of the the 1999 constitution which he swore to uphold.

As it stands, the State House of Assembly is not representing Plateau people and it will be right for the House of Assembly be scrapped and members appointed as what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

Plateau is not known as a State of mediocre’s but the reality staring us is that whatever gains and consolidation that has taken place in the past is been discarded for selfish and petty material gains.

Satisfying the greed of a few against the wish of the collective seems to be the order of the day.

It is so unfortunate that once more just like in 2007, we as a people shall take our destiny into our hands by voting out incompetence, and cronyism else we may wake up one day to hear, *There was once a State called Plateau*.”

Mr. Pamson Dagyat

Gov Lalong LG Selection Shame

In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot because when we allude that the end justify the means we must as well affirms that there is something that justifies the end.

It’s no longer news now that Our Barrister Gov Lalong is re-appointing caretaker committees regardless of clear Supreme Court judgment on the subject.

Most worrisome is the clear substitution of ELECTION with SELECTION. Note that only APC men and women are involved in this selection process as such those selected are definitely the representative of their party and not the people.

To add salt to injury, the Plateau State House of Assembly is a partner in this illegality by rubberstamping the selection process to the embarrassment of democracy and good government.

The highest peak of this injustice is the judiciary! The PDP had taken to court seeking a halt to this illegality but till this moment, the Chief Justice of Plateau state is yet to assign the papers to any judge nor assigned to self for adjudication thereby buying time for the swearing-in of these illegally constituted caretaker committees at the LG.

Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge’

The government should note that taking the people for granted is same as checking the strength of a boat by making holes in it because we once were there!

Chung Fabian

“Does it mean that it is only the governor that knows how to sabotage a justice system because he is a layer why cant no other good lawyer teach him that as a lawyer he needed give the most neutral government with people right in the Centre.”

Emmanuel Luka

“Seriously, I’m not happy with all these reappointment of people that that have questionable character by the political elites to occupy a position that ordinarily, it’s the primary responsibility of they people, to chooses their leaders, through free and fear election. Bokkos Local government is at loss with the appointment of Samon A as interim chairman of the Local government.”

Tanimu Shikmuut

“You forgot so fast that Jang did worse than what we see now.He who could not conduct election until close to the end of his second tenure and wanted his men stay for two years into the present regime, yet you see nothing wrong with that.Why can’t you bring up a subject that will move Plateau for ward but only try to open up old wounds”

Jonathan Chishak

” If Jang did worse, then where is the change mantra. The principle of appointment re- appointment and re-re- appointment is an injury to the infant democracy under bread”

Dachung Emmanuel

” If elderly people will be supporting injustice n illegality then I am afraid there is no hope for Nigeria. If Jang did it and was bad so what? Must we continue to do bad because someone did bad? Can’t we get it right n change things. Disappointed with d old men who are supporting. what lesson are u teaching d younger generation?”

Gideon Dut Dan

” I still don’t know what it means to be a politician to this day because the word politicians conjure up somwhat negative synonyms in my heads with words like ‘double-tongued, scammer, swindler, deceit, crooks, deceivers etc. Though it not to be so but that’s what most politicians portrays outthere. E.g ……… We must redefine what it means to be politicians else good people will shy away from it.”

Dominion Maigari

” We too were there once” Wow! ( the antics of the evil PDP). The scenario then and can not be the same like your era @ Pamson Dagyat. Your era remains the vomit of the Plateau people. Imagine, with all the billions you guys had. No matter how much you and your cohorts try to black mail this government. You have eaten your cakes and you can’t have it boys. We all have PVCs. The way and manner some of you talk about 2019 as though you speak for the entirety of the state. This same noise was what we heard making rounds 2015. See where we are today. There is nothing new under the sun. Gov Simon Bako Lalong will return 2019. By the same grace that God granted him in 2015. Any door opened by God, no man can shut. Make no mistake about it.”

Bitrus Habila

“Plateau state House of Assembly hv failed to promote the social contract. They are increasingly demonstrating indicators of incapacitation lack of awareness of their rights as legislatures. They hv failed to promote democracy at the local level. As far as federalism is concerned, we don’t hv local govts on the plateau. We hv relapse to days of local administration when local govt was an adjunct of the state. A level of govt must be led by an elected head and not and appointed head. Our legislatures must rise up to this challenge.”

Dominion Maigari

” PDP is back to power: a parade of the knowledgeable. Pamson Dagyat. Ordinarily, this text does not require the dignity of rebuttal. It exposes the author and betrays and bigots his sense of analysis. This is because, the spirit and letters of the message completely speaks to bigotry. To safe time, he raised two issues: the caretaker committee appointments and glorification of ignorance. I will for the benefit of the public address these twin observations otherwise, the essay is better ignored as a piece from the pit of ignorance, considering that the essay is history blind.
This Government did not establish the caretaker law, she inherited it. If the writer feels so strongly oppose to such an arrangement, yet he claimed they have been there, why did they not amend the caretaker law or expunge it completely before leaving office. This is hypocrisy of monumental proportion.
To argue that this government patronises ignorance, is yet another crass demonstration of irresponsible statement. What is ignorance? What is knowledge? When you adequately respond to these questions, you will be educated on how knowledgeable and ignorant people find their ways to government circles.
For the benefit of our readers, no one can be seen as ignorant in Plateau State. We are all blessed with different talents. Reading and writing English is inadequate to define knowledge and ignorance. You have to address people with dignity, these are family and community patrons.
This Government represents the knowledgeable and the ignorant, any fair government must involve both the knowledgeable and ignorant citizens to represent their respective constituencies. (This dichotomy is according to Pamson D.)
To chose a wise knowledgeable fellow like you to represent the ignorants is a great disservice to the state, because the statistics you will present at the end of your stewardship will make no sense to the ignorant constituents.
From these points of views, this government is on tract to involve ignorants in its appointments.
More grease to your elbows, the People’s Governor.”

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criticisms & counter criticisms greet Gov. Lalong’s re-appointment of LG caretaker committee