Uncertainty in Jos East Over Council Secretary’s position.
The Long awaited Local Governments Election in Plateau state has come and gone.
After peaceful conduct of the election in all the seventeen local Government areas.
The Executive Governor of Plateau state,mandated the Executive Chairmen to swing into action and inaugurated their Deputies alongside the elected Councillors and make the other appointments in order to kick the ball rolling.
In compliance to the directive, almost all the Chairmen have sworn in their Deputies,Councillors and appoints their Council Secretaries, Chiefs of Staff,media aids and others.
But in Jos East Local Government Area,reverse is the case, despite the appointments of the personal Assistant to the Chairman,Media Director was successful without any hitches or rancour but the
position of the Council Secretary which has been zoned to Maigemu Federal ward under Maigemu District just like the position of the Council Chairman was zoned to Shere District and that of the Deputy Chairman zoned to Federe and leader of the Legislative Arm went to Fobur District whereas the position of the Deputy leader and minority Leader went to Fursum District.
As a tradition of Zoning of political positions in the locality, since the inception of civilian administration administration.
The local Government which comprises of five districts is well known for this zoning arrangement for equity,fairness and justice.
But in a dramatic turn of events,this long respected and traditions was jettisoned by the Council Chairman after announcing the appointment of the Secretary who’s married to Shere District.
To the chagrins and dismay of the Maigemu District.
The Development which has tear the peoples Democratic Party aparts in the area.
Speaking under the conditions of annoniminity,some party stalwarts vowed to challenge the appointment of the Secretary.
According to them,the Chairman inform them that ordinarily,he wouldn’t want to temper with the zoning arrangement and appoint the Secretary from Maigemu District, particularly Maigemu Federal ward but the pressure from the above was much on him.
The people of Maigemu District are looking at the development as an affront to them especially the Maigemu Federal ward which the position has been micro zoned to them.
According to them,the only solution for the party and the Chairman is to reverse the decision and appoint someone from their ward to ensure unity.
With this development, we are waiting to see how the PDP members in Jos East will manage the internal wrangling that is rearing it’s ugly head’s and if not carefully managed,it will tear the party apart.
This is not the first time the party is facing such challenges in the area and the recent one was the aftermath of the Party’s Primaries.
The party is divided into two camps,those loyal to the Commissioner of Information,Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms and Rt. Nuhu Abok Ayuba,former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and Senior Special adviser to the Governor on Legislative matters.
Prior to the primary elections,there was heated arguments and throwing of banters of the two camps on social media.
At the end of the exercise,the anointed candidate of Rt. Hon. Abok emerged a winner and swiftly nominated Hon. Azi Pate as a running mate to the Candidate but the other camp viewed the development as the winner takes it all and reached out to the Governor through the influence of the Commissioner of Information and the decision was reversed hence,Hon. Atsen Yusuf Musa was immediately replaced as the Deputy Chairman.
This douse the brewing tension and animosity Ong the party faithfuls in the area.
The Battle between the two bigwigs in the area is the battle of supremacy and the interest of 2027 general elections.
We are closely and keenly monitoring the development in Jos East.
The development can either make or marred them.
Other pundits are worried with the selfishness of some politicians in the local Government that are bent in destroying the zoning arrangement.
According to them,The Position of the Current Commissioner was meant for Fursum and or Chairmanship position but went to Federe and Shere Districts and if not well managed,it will destroy the zoning system in the area.
