Juliet Akoje in Abuja
The member representing Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Daniel Asama Ago, has expressed commitment towards restoring peace in the state.
Asama, who was declared the winner of the recent re-run election in the state, said his priority also included uniting the state and empowering the people.
While speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, the lawmaker said: “I have three important needs for now. The number one is to restore peace on the Plateau. It is a paramount priority. We were called and we are still called the home of peace and tourism. For some reason, the peace is being distorted. We the indigenes of Plataea State don’t feel the same. We feel relatively safe. But with all the incessant issues happening from herdsmen, kidnapping and skirmishes, which to say the truth, is across the country and not just the Plateau State, the aim now is how to restore peace.”
He added that: “I would work with the governor and every other government apparatus to ensure my people the peace that has eluded them. We are relatively in a safe place but there still some pockets of violence in a few local government areas. Precisely, right now, we are struggling with hiccups in Mangu, Bokkos and Barkin Ladi areas.
“The second thing is unity. The polity nationwide is heated and Plateau State is not excluded. Our people have diverse interests. Politics comes with that. The people are thinking of what they want to do and how they want to do it. They have their parties and affiliations. Nigeria in general is sharply divided around ethnic, religious and tribal lines. In fact lately it is even involving some social colouration.
“But I would want to focus on bringing Plateau State together. I would work assiduously to unite the state for development. We need to unite the state, we need to cushion and neutralise the toxicity of colouring politics along the lines of religion of social class or tribes. The third one is empowerment. Our people need empowerment in every form. The people of the Plateau State are hardworking. There is the skill, willingness and also the availability in terms of resources. But we need to harness that with some government policies, support systems and material resources for the benefit of the people.”
