The recent position taken by the Bassa/Jos North Forum, adopting a shift of the House of Representatives seat to Jos North LGA and specifically to a particular tribe calls for careful reflection.
At a time when unity and strategic focus should define our politics, this move risks deepening divisions rather than strengthening representation. Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency is a diverse and sensitive political space. Reducing the conversation to geography and tribe narrows our collective vision and weakens our negotiating strength at the national level.
Representation in the National Assembly is not ceremonial; it is strategic. Influence in Abuja is built on continuity, ranking, committee visibility, relationships, and legislative experience. These cannot be transferred overnight, nor can they be inherited by sentiment.
One Term Is Not Consolidation
A single four-year term in the legislature is barely enough to understand the system, secure strategic committee placements, and build the networks required to attract federal projects. By the time a first-term lawmaker gains momentum, the tenure is already winding down.
Frequent rotation resets influence. It interrupts negotiations. It weakens bargaining power. It sends a message of instability to national stakeholders. Constituencies that enjoy sustained federal presence do so because they consolidate before they rotate.
We must ask ourselves:
Are we ready to sacrifice legislative weight and federal leverage simply to satisfy a zoning arrangement tied to tribe?
Tribal Allocation Is a Dangerous Precedent
Adopting a shift not only to an LGA but to a specific tribe introduces a precedent that may haunt the constituency for years. Today it may seem like equity; tomorrow it becomes exclusion. Politics built on ethnic lines inevitably breeds suspicion, resentment, and fragmentation.
Bassa/Jos North has thrived when it speaks with one voice. The moment we begin to draw rigid tribal boundaries around federal representation, we erode the spirit of collective progress.
Consolidation Before Rotation
This is not an argument against future power-sharing. Rotation, when properly structured and timed, can strengthen trust. But rotation must follow consolidation — not replace it.
The present member of the House of Representatives should be allowed the opportunity to consolidate, deepen federal relationships, and maximize the dividends available to the constituency. Development projects, appointments, and strategic influence are not secured by experimentation; they are secured by continuity and leverage.
If and when rotation becomes necessary, it must be guided by a clear framework — with agreed timelines, performance benchmarks, and constituency-wide consensus — not unilateral declarations.
Our Priority Must Be Results
The true question before us is not “whose turn is it?” but “what strengthens Bassa/Jos North?”
We must prioritize competence over clan, performance over sentiment, and strategy over symbolism.
The stand of the BJ Forum, though perhaps well-intentioned, risks dividing our people and weakening our collective bargaining power. At this critical moment, unity and consolidation remain our strongest tools.
Let us build strength first. Rotation can wait — development cannot.
Comr Daniel Job
Co-Convener
Plateau Youths Movement for Good Governance
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