Plateau group adopts framework on equity in governance

By Golok Nanmwa, Jos

 National Council of  Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives, PIDAN has adopted a  framework on “Equity in Governance in Plateau  State.

PIDAN, which is the umbrella body of all indigenous community development Associations in Plateau State, adopted the framework during its 2nd Quarterly meeting, attended by 45 of the 54 registered ethnic nationalities within PIDAN, held in Jos, Plateau State at the weekend .

In a statement made available to newsmen in Jos and signed by Stephen Sarki Musa PIDAN Media Officer

Dated June 3, 2018 reads that the adoption of the framework, when implemented, Plateau shall  be “a secured State with peaceful co- existence among various tribes, advancing the core values of the autochthones and operating a governance equity strategy that prevents conflicts and facilitates economic advancement”.

With the adoption, PIDAN maintains the governorship, deputy Governor and the speaker shall be on rotational basis, and insisted that the next Governor of the state shall emerge from the Southern Senatorial District, thereafter, the Central District shall produce the next Governor for two term of 8 years.

Highlights of the Equity framework includes “That the rotation of the position of Governor, Deputy Governor and Speaker among the three Senatorial Zones be maintained in the pattern of South – Central-North,  in a cynical manner.

The statement reads that” the senatorial zone with the Governor shall have a maximum of two terms after which power most rotate to the next zone in the South, Central, North cynical order.”

“In the event that a Governor vacates office in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, his deputy shall take over and completes that term, in which the Governor vacates office. Thereafter, the political power shall shift accordingly. When such an incident occurs during the Governor’ s first term in office, his/her deputy shall complete that first term after which any suitable person from that zone shall contest, get elected and take over leadership to complete that zone’s maximum tenure of two terms after which power will shift to the next zone in the cynical order”

The statement also reads that ” In the event that both the Governor and his deputy vacate offices, the Speaker shall assume office as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended and shall administer the State fairly using the zoning arrangement’s already established by the elected Governor with respect to appointments.” In the ensuing elections to fill the vacant positions created by the  out gone Governor and his deputy, only candidates form the out gone Governor and  Deputy Governor’s zone shall contest for the respective offices.”

“The zone that produces the deputy Governor at any time shall produce the the Governor in the next rotation upon the completion of the maximum 2-term tenure, while the speaker’s and the Governor’s zone shall produce the deputy Governor and the speaker, respectively. “The deputy Governor shall be assigned a ministry to head as a means of strengthening the performance of the holder of such an office.”

“The slot for the Secretary to the  Government of the State,  SGS, shall be allocated to the Speaker’s zone.”

“Ministerial appointment should be rotated between the Speaker’s and Deputy Governor’s zones in any given administration of a span of 8 years.”

“Non career ambassadorial slot,   should be rotated between the Speaker’s and the Deputy Governor’s zone, but where one of the zone has the ministerial appointment the other should be allocated the position. Where there is more than one slot, it should be distributed starting with the zone without ministerial appointment and the Governor.”

“The meeting further adopted that positions Commissioners, head of  Commissions, Parastatals  and Boards into key ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government should be shared equitable among the three Senatorial districts of the state.”

“In order to make the framework work effectively,  PIDAN agreed to reach out to Government, political parties, religious leaders and other  stakeholders in the state.”

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Plateau group, PIDAN adopts framework on equity in governance