Worried by the Presidency’s procrastination in appointing a new minister from Plateau State to fill the gap created by the former Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong’s resignation and the deliberate refusal of the Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, to swear-in the remaining seven members-elect as state legislators, the Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), who was Plateau State Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Professor Patrick Dakum, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Dewan to appoint a new minister and swear-in the members-elect respectively.
Dakum, yesterday, lamented that the president’s delay in appointing a new minister to fill the gap created by Lalong’s exit is a total disservice to Plateau State that must be remedied immediately.
According to him, it is totally unfair to deny the state’s participation in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for over six months, which is not the state’s fault.
This action, he went on, excluded Plateau State from the running of the country’s affairs in the capacity of ministerial activities as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, describing it as undemocratic.
On the lingering non-swearing in of the remaining seven members-elect to participate in the state assembly’s legislation, Dakum said for democracy to thrive, court orders must be obeyed whether palatable or unpalatable.
He said: “There is absolutely no reason the members-elect declared winners by the Court of Appeal should not be in the assembly working. It doesn’t make sense.”
I don’t understand why. The court has already taken its decision and there is nothing anyone can do about it, but to obey the court’s decision. It is democracy to obey court orders whether in our favour or not.”
Dakun, a former Commissioner of Health and Information in the state, said it is an abuse of democracy to procrastinate swearing in of the members-elect, maintaining it is nothing short of denying their constituents the right of being represented in the assembly.
He added that everyone should be carried along with no constituency left behind in the interest of democracy, good governance, progress and justice.
