SENATOR I.D GYANG'S MOTION ON PLHA: A HUGE DECEIT TAKEN TOO FAR

SENATOR I.D GYANG'S MOTION ON PLHA: A HUGE DECEIT TAKEN TOO FAR .

The APC Plateau State Chapter watched and read with grave concern, what is trending in the media space, the orchestrated  motion by the PDP Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly. We are concerned because this carefully scripted motion by Senator I. D .Gyang,  a ranking Senator is a grand deception taken too far. As a ranking Senator who  is expected to know better and comport himself with dignity, he has resorted to misguided application of power. He did not speak honestly and truthfully to his colleagues in the hallowed  Red Chambers an  action which unfortunately fell far short of reasonable decorum.

The APC in the state had all along been aware of his desperate attempts to move the motion on the floor before yesterday. Going through the motion, it was nothing but partisan display and misapplication of legislative powers.

Senator I.D. Gyang is calling for the Senate to intervene in the impeachment of the former Speaker of the PLHA to prevent further disruption of legislative activities and deterioration of peace in the house. 

He claimed to be disturbed by the impeachment of the former Speaker by eight (8) members of the House instead of the constitutionally required 2/3 of 24 members. 

We used to  rate Senator I. D. Gyang higher than this. We are, however, very disappointed by his not telling his colleagues the truth of what really took place at the Plateau State House of Assembly but relied on hearsay as a layman.

 If Senator I. D. Gyang was actually concerned about happenings in the Plateau State House of Assembly, he should have carried out proper investigation to guide him in his so- called motion on the revered floor of the Senate. 

As a legislator of his standing, the Clerk of the PLHA would not deny him access to the fact  that the required number of 16 members of the PLHA signed the impeachment notice of the former Speaker  Honourable Abok Nuhu Ayuba. 

He is conversant, based on his long stint in the National Assembly, first as a member of the House of Representatives and now a two -term Senator,  that 2/3 is the required signatories for impeachment while 1/3 is a quorum  for sitting even at the Senate. Any decision taken on behalf of those absent from sitting is constitutionally right except it is overturned by a court of law. 

His feigning ignorance of this vital aspect is deliberate, mischievous and very  misleading which is condemnable. Based on his lack of sincerity of purpose in this strange motion, he admitted that the former Speaker was ALLEGEDLY  impeached ( our emphass). Since to him  the exercise is  an allegation, he ought to have seen enough reason to make inquiries before  standing in the hallowed Chamber to comdemn an act based on allegation.

To demonstrate that his action was carefully designed to achieve an invidous and ingenous purpose, Senator I. D. Gyang made  reference to an ignorant pronouncement by the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, a PDP member and very  close ally of the impeached Speaker ot PLHA as being unconstitional. The Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly is an  unfortunate beneficiary and product  of an unconstitutional act as he is said to have been installed by 11 out of 31 members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly. 

Let's put the records straight about the intolerable and legislative impunity of the impeached Speaker of the PLHA. He unilaterally kept the House of Assembly under  lock and key   for three  months, thus preventing the deliberation of executive bills that had to do with the stemming the tide of the persistent farmers/ herders conflicts and insecurity in Plateau state and arrogantly turned around to incite the people against the governor that he is standing with the people. If we may ask, which people is he standing with apart from the opposition PDP which is an open secret? 

The APC in Plateau state takes very serious exception to to behaviour of the impeached Speaker and would not allow him to destroy the party for self serving interest. His hobnobbing  with the PDP which he plans to defect to is well known and noted by the APC in the state. He is free to leave the party to  his new found PDP  which we are fully aware of his unwholesome alliance to promote crises and instability in the state which, we will not tolerate.

He should stop his usual diversionary antics, address squarely what his colleagues are charging him of and accept his fate and misdemeanours which are  purely self inflicted and  to live with the consequences. 

 Above all, Abok Ayuba should realise that he was before his elevation as the Speaker, the least amongst equal in terms of age and educational qualification which calls for humility on his side  but which he unfortunately have in short supply. 

Back to Senator I.D. Gyang who is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence. Instead of working in synergy with  Governor Simon  Bako Lalong to stem the tide of insecurity in the state, he has chosen a partisan position of not seeing anything good in the governor and all his efforts to bring lasting peace to  the state. 

On its face value, Senator I. D Gyang's motion, in all sincerity  is informed or guided by sheer sentiments, frivolities and mischief which we call on the Most Distinguished Senators to ignore. 

We can understand his frustrations which have been driven by the oppositon PDP's sworn plans to make the state ungovernable. It is trite that serious governance issues should not be reduced to sentiments and promotion of egos. 

Going by his well known antecedents in  the Senate, Senator Gyang has chosen to remain a chief wailer rather than taking the proactive move of arresting  the spade of insecurity that have bedevilled Plateau State which pre dates the Lalong administration. 

The APC as a peace- loving party condems all actions including Senator I. D .Gyang's ill- motivated motion which would further plunge the state into chaos and conflicts. Calling on the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of the Plateau State House of Assembly is the greatest disservice any legislator would do to his state. This call is totally obnoxious and selfish and should be ignored for what it is - an aberration.

The people of Plateau state know and are tired of those who believe in violence as a means of gaining access to power. Whenever an election year approaches they go into their diabolical workshop to burn midnight oils to  cause chaos and dissent. Senator Gyang should not take Plateau People's patience and resilience for granted. 

Signed: 

Hon. Sylvanus Namang 

APC State Publicity Secretary