Photo of Nasarawa State House of Assembly building used to demonstrate the story.
Cecilia Onah, Lafia
The Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, have lamented the undue interference of traditional rulers in political matters since the ongoing crisis at the State House of Assembly began on June 6, 2023.
Speaking in Lafia on Thursday, Chairman of PDP in the state, Francis Orogu, said many of the monarchs were threatening their subjects who are members-elect under the party’s platform to support Governor Abdullahi Sule’s choice for the Speakership position, Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi, against his contender, Hon. Daniel Ogazi.
He said, “Since the assembly crisis began, the traditional rulers became so active in politics. They are now interfering in political matters. Now, they are forcing their subjects who are members-elect from the PDP to join the Ibrahim Abdullahi’s faction of the assembly.
“Today, as I am talking to you right now, one of my members representing Obi 1 constituency, Hon. Peter Akwe, have been invited by the traditional council of Obi Local Government Area, and they have told him to support the governor’s candidate or else, they will not be happy with him.
“This is exactly what has been happening for some time now. Our traditional rulers in Nasarawa State are interfering too much in politics and it is not a good thing. They should do their duties as traditional rulers, while we do our own as politicians.”
READ: Nasarawa Assembly crisis deepens
The PDP Chairman also berated Governor Sule’s administration for ignoring the health sector of the state, adding that it has made life difficult for many of its residents.
Orogu said as a result of the state government’s negligence on the sector, many Doctors and Nurses had relocated from the state to other places in search of greener pastures.
He said despite the huge funds being accrued to the state from the federation account on a monthly basis, medical workers in the state were still receiving poor packages.
“Instead of proffering solutions to the challenges being faced by the medical workers, the state governor is more concerned about the ongoing leadership tussle in the House of Assembly.
“As I am talking to you now, if you go into the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia and other government hospitals in the state, you will find out that one nurse is attending to 20 patients and one doctor is attending to 30 to 35 patients in a day, and that is not good for our people.
“The government should be more responsive to the needs of the people of the state and healthcare is a major need for all human beings, so the needful has to be done as soon as possible,” Orogu added
Our correspondent reports that the State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association had on June 13, 2023, issued a 21-days strike ultimatum to the state government to address issues relating to poor welfare packages of its members, saying failure to meet its demands, the strike action would commence.
