DAKUM DECRIES THE ABSENCE OF A MINISTER FROM PLATEAU STATE, SWEARING IN OF 7 MEMBERS-ELECT By Walbe Orgak

DAKUM DECRIES THE ABSENCE OF A MINISTER FROM PLATEAU STATE, SWEARING 

N OF 7 MEMBERS-ELECT

By Walbe Orgak 

Worried by the Presidency's procrastination of appointing a new Minister from Plateau to fill in the gap created by the former's resignation and the deliberate refusal of the Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, to swear-in the remaining 7 members-elect as state legislators, the Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, and Plateau State Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Professor Patrick Dakum, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dewan to appoint a new Minister and swear-in the members-elect.

 Speaking to THE BEACON in his office in Abuja yesterday, 4th May, 2024, Dakum lamented that the president's  delay in appointing a new minister to fill in the gap created by the exit of Simon Lalong, (then Minister of Labour, to be in the National Assembly having secured his victory at the appellate court) is a total disservice to Plateau that must be remedied immediately.

 According to him, it's totally unfair to deny Plateau participation in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for over six months for not having a minister which is not the state's fault.  This action he went on, excludes Plateau in the running of the country's affairs in the capacity of ministerial activities as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic and is undemocratic.

"Democracy entails carrying everyone along, following due process, observing the rule of law and dispensing justice to all without delay. There is no genuine reason for Plateau to be without a minister for this long which denies it participation in decisions making for good governance in the country. There are capable and eligible hands in the state that can handle any ministry, so why delaying the appointment," Dakum said.

 On issue of the lingering non-swearing 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 why the members-elect the Court of Appeal declared winners should not be in the House working. It doesn't make sense. I don't understand why and how because it is the same judiciary that said the governor is PDP, and the House is APC, so, what's the rocket science in that? The court has already taken its decision and there is nothing anyone can do about it, but to obey the court's decisions. It is democracy to obey court order whether in our favour or not."

The former Commissioner of Health and Information, said that it's abuse of democracy to procrastinate swearing in of the members-elect because is nothing short of  denying their constituents the right of being represented in the House, thereby making the government incomplete; adding that everyone should be carried along and no Constituency should be left behind in the interest of democracy, good governance, progress and justice.