Plateau ready for Dariye's return
From Isa Abdusalami, Jos
AS Nigerians await the end of emergency rule in Plateau State on Thursday, there were indications at the weekend that the suspended governor, Chief Joshua Dariye may return to the country today in preparation to resume office.
According to a commissioner in the suspended Dariye's administration, loyalists have been preparing to honour the governor with a civic reception on arrival through the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos.
His close friends and political associates have been holding series of meetings in the expectation that the six months of emergency rule, which began on May 18 would be lifted on November 18, 2004.
It was gathered that some local government chairmen have gone to the extent of purchasing vests with Dariye's portraits embossed on them with a view to giving him a rousing welcome.
To this end, the planning committee said the suspended state executive council met last week to deliberate on how to welcome Dariye while the suspended members of the House of Assembly also met to prepare themselves for resumption of duty when the emergency rule is lifted.
Dariye's cabinet member said yesterday that arrangements had been concluded to receive the governor.
Although he urged the supporters of Dariye to troop to the airport in the morning to welcome him, he refused to disclose where the governor would be flying from to the Jos airport.
He said it was for security reason that he could not say where the governor would be coming from.
The state administrator, Gen. Chris Alli (rtd), who left the state last week for medical check-up in London returned to Jos yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, the Plateau Youth Forum on Unity and Democratic Movement (PYFUDM) has called on President Olusegun Obasanjo to disregard clamour by interest groups and individuals either for extension of the emergency rule or the modification of the restoration of democratic structures in the state.
The forum appealed to the President to lift the suspension unconditionally as normalcy has since returned to the state.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, the leader of the forum, Mr. Solomon Wuyep said that as the emergency rule comes to an end on Thursday there are conflicting opinions from various quarters.
Wuyep said that in spite of all efforts made by the Federal Government, the administrator, Plateau people and the entire Nigerians, some groups and individuals seem to portray a picture that peace has not been restored in the state.
To buttress the fact that there is peace in the state, Wuyep said that all displaced persons have since returned to their place of abode.
His words: "as the entire state awaits the return of democratic structures at the expiration of six months of emergency rule, we have listened, watched and seen with keen interest that gimmicks of some enemies of democracy in Plateau who operate under various names are portraying themselves as democrats whose comments do not only have the tendency of causing confusion in the state but mislead the general public on the actual situation in Plateau."
The PYFUDM leader pointed out that some of the individuals and groups had been making flimsy justification for extension of the emergency rule.
"But peace and reconciliation, to our understanding, is a gradual process which can be achieved over a space of time. The recommendations of the peace conference as we can all attest to are being implemented in stages. The call for extension based on lack of proper settlement of displaced persons is not true," Wuyep said.
On the video clips people watched on the alleged financial deals of the suspended governor, the youths said it was not part of the reasons by the President for declaring the state of emergency.
In the video clips, according to the youths, it was alleged that the suspended governor had been operating a comfortable foreign account before he become governor in 1999 and after five years in office as governor, the amount has not changed to any alarming level.
They believe that if the suspended structures are restored, the legislative body conferred with the power of legislation will definitely look into the allegations.
Wuyep said: this acclaimed Scotland Yard report is still inconclusive, questionable with no pictorial support, but mere transcripts of moving words which is not different from Generals Diya, Adisa and Mr. President's alleged attempted coup by the then Gen. Abacha's regime-planned video clips"
The youths pointed out that since the constitution was invoked for the slamming of the state of emergency on the state, the same instrument should be used in ending the emergency rather than introducing personal decisive and confusing opinions based on technicalities.
|
