Nasarawa: When protests greeted an impeachment move- Sunday Tribune. ADEMOLA ADEGBITE reports the demonstrations embarked upon by supporters of the Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, since his impeachment by members of the state House of Assembly began and the tension this has generated in the state. SINCE the announcement of an impeachment move against the Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, by 20 lawmakers out of the 24 members of the state House of Assembly, last Monday, the state has been witnessing series of demonstrations from his loyalists, in protest against the impeachment notice. The fragile peace in the state after months of Ombatse debacle was again shattered by the protesters who went berserk by destroying erected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) billboards. This later ignited crisis between Gwandaras and Eggons. Until Thursday, the protests were peaceful. Still, shops and kiosks along the troubled areas were hurriedly closed down to guard against hoodlums who might want to take advantage of the protests to unleash mayhem. Before the protests, people were seen in different groups at different locations, especially at the Government House, ministries, local government secretariats and higher institutions of learning, discussing what would be the governor’s fate if eventually a panel was set up to probe his activities in the past three years. The mood was sober, but those against his administration could hardly wait to witness the day of his impeachment. The latest development has created palpable fear and tension, as the two groups are now at each others’ throats. The peaceful protest, however, turned bloody when the supporters of the governor stormed a house belonging to an Eggon on UAC road, inflicted injury on him, before setting the mud house ablaze. At the end of the fisticuff, two persons were said to have been killed, while others were injured. But when addressing newsmen in his office on Friday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, together with other security chiefs in the state, dismissed the report, saying nobody was killed and that 22 persons had been apprehended by security personnel in connection with the disturbances. He said the security operatives were on top of the situation. Before Thursday, various groups, including women, youths, elders, CAN, FOMWAN as well as the National Council for Women Society (NCWS) and others were carrying placards in solidarity against the purported impeachment plan. Some protesters, especially women, were even vowed to go naked if the parliamentarians failed to shelve their planned impeachment. Due to unforeseen events like that of Thursday, fierce-looking mobile policemen, soldiers and State Security Service (SSS) personnel have taken over the major areas and locations to contain possible breakdown of law and order. The state is tense, as the supporters of the embattled governor and the PDP are set for a showdown, looking for ways to engage one other in a free-for-all. The miscreants among the protesters have, however, seen it as their daily routine, thereby using the opportunity to loot or rob innocent people. The traders on the roads shut their doors and ran for dear lives. Sunday Tribune also observed that some hoodlums were also taking advantage of the protest to wreck havoc on their perceived enemies, digging up age-long feuds. Since the protest started, the state has been witnessing series of artificial hindrances on major roads. Street urchins, popularly known as Almajirs, and some pupils from one of the primary schools within Lafia, the state capital, who do not know the implications of their actions, were not left behind, as they were sighted with their plates hung on their necks, while pupils removed their school uniforms to join the protest. The protesters, who were chanting solidarity songs in support of Al-Makura, then set bon-fires in strategic areas including Emir palace road, UAC road and Doma road, all within Lafia. They attempted to block the only federal road that links the northern and eastern parts of the country before the police and soldiers arrived and dispersed them. From other zones such as Keffi and Mararaba, youths also came out to show their grievances over the impeachment notice, but they were immediately dispersed by the security operatives. The protesters believed that the lawmakers were only acting a script written by anti-Nasarawa forces, hence the public peace must be disturbed so as to distract the attention perpetrators. In their own contribution to ensuring peace in the state, the traditional council led by Dr Isa Mustapha Agwai 1, pleaded with the protesters not to allow hoodlums to hijack it, but to be prayerful as Almighty Allah would see the governor through in his tribulation. The prayers session was led by the Chief Imam of Lafia Central Mosque, Alhaji Dahiru Dalhatu. The women, who carried placards with series of inscription such as ‘Mothers of Nasarawa State say No to impeachment, Women in Nasarawa State support Ta’al 2015 among others’, rained abuses on members of the state House of Assembly. While speaking, the convener of the women’s group, Hajiya Hajara Danyaro, said the impeachment move was calculated to destabilise the state. According to her, “We, as mothers, chose not to remain quiet owing to the fact that in the event of crisis, women and children suffer more casualties. The allegation of gross misconduct levelled against the governor was unfounded and malicious. We are saying no to impeachment of the people’s governor because as far as we are concerned, Al-Makura is the best governor Nasarawa has ever had,” she stated. While addressing the protesters at the Government House, the wife of the governor, Hajiya Salamatu Al-Makura, implored them to remain calm, be prayerful and not to take the law into their own hands. She expressed optimism that the governor would overcome the impeachment saga and continue with his development agenda. According to her, “I would like to urge you all to intensify your prayers to God to take charge of the situation, as nothing is beyond Him to handle”. Also in its protest, a group known as Ta’al Discussion Circle led by Nasir Tanko, said “We deem it fit to come out publicly and enlighten the entire positive elements of the state both at home and the Diaspora to rise up to the challenge and say ‘enough is enough’ to impunity in our dear state and to caution the state House of Assembly over their selfish and unpopular demand which is obviously geared at plunging the entire state into chaos.” Also in their protest, the Yoruba community in the state led by Barrister Afeez Adigun said the administration of Al-Makura had ensured development in less than four years in office. He attributed the impeachment plot to a strategy of disrupting the existing peace by disgruntled elements. The protest, according to findings, has created panic among the lawmakers, as sources within the lawmakers’ camp confided in our correspondent that they might shelve their planned impeachment against the governor. It was gathered further that most of them have been threatened by their respective constituents not to come back home, if they dared to try the purported impeachment. Will the governor sail through the impeachment and get sympathy votes in the 2015 governorship election? It is too early to say.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 09:54:22 +0000
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