One issue that has ruffled Plateau politics is the planned grazing reserves and ranches, with Senator David Jonah Jang accusing Governor Simon Lalong of ceding the people’s land at whims. MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU examines the underlying intrigues.
Disturbed by the incessant clashes between herders and farmers across communities in Plateau state, resulting in loss of lives, the state government will soon introduce a policy to replace the primitive method of cattle routes and open space for cattle grazing. The governor, Simon Lalong believes that this policy will go a long way in not only ending the clashes but will also create employment opportunity for people of the state. He said, aside curbing cattle theft, it will promote peace in the state.
Jang’ Position
However, contrary to Lalong’s position, former Governor Jonah Jang holds entirely different views and argues that the idea is a mere political ploy which will affect “the heritage of the people, their culture and their land”. He then declared that “Plateau people must rise against any subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose of satisfying the selfish and egotistical whims of a few who are hell bent on disturbing our collective peace.”
Jang who made his opposition to Lalong in a press statement might have succeeded in making some youths of Berom conscious of the underlining sides to the policy. And before you could say anything, the youths protested under the aegis of Plateau G-17 Youths for Peace led by Dachung Musa Bagos and demanded that; “the State Government under Barr. Simon Lalong, rescinds its decision on this obnoxious policy and tore the path of honour by removing Plateau State from the list of States, to key into the policy”.
Counter Position
A similar counter solidarity demonstration was staged by the Plateau Peace Vanguard (PYV), had followed days after and they said they are out to encourage both the state and federal governments to continue with the planned implementation of the creation of the grazing reserves and ranches.
“The federal government policy is a welcome development as it will sustain the peaceful co-existence as well as avert the recurrence of the disagreement over land for both faming and grazing.” zPYV said.
The resolutions of the youths, which was read by their coordinator, Timdi Nkat, was presented to Joseph Lengmang, the Director General of Bureau of Peace and Conflict Resolution, in the state, further reads that; “We are here to express our commitment to doing that which is right and to upholding that which is true,” and: “We stand for peace and we ask with strong voice that no one should undermine our collective resolve to live harmoniously with one another irrespective of our diverse ethno-religious and political learning.”
The group called for support for the establishment of ranches, and urged for dialogue and understanding of the stakeholders, saying government’s processes to engage communities in consultation is being implemented in stages to lead to the full implementation of the policy.
Lalong’s Burst
In his response Lalong lampooned Jang, saying he is nothing more than a conflict trigger, who has suddenly found his voice in the midst of the silence that has characterized his representation of the Northern Senatorial District in the Hallow Chambers of the Senate, only on a matter that sensational political commentaries have raised to the stage of being a “conflict trigger, alleging that it is what Jang enjoys because it was what characterized his 8 years reign on the Plateau.
In a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA), Emmanuel Samuel Nanle, Lalong said that Jang’s blatant condemnation of the Grazing Reserve Policy as being anti-people, “without the depth of knowledge as to the content of the policy and many options for Cattle Rearing, Livestock Farming and Improved Animal Husbandry which it contains is again an eloquent testimony of his we versus them classification of citizens, even when the preservation of the common humanity of the human being should be held sacrosanct”.
“Repeatedly, Plateau has been thrown into the throes of violent conflict on account of the careless, unrestrained and unsolicited commentaries from those who take delight in standing as heroes to gullible followership while the sane in our society are plunged into senseless violent conflicts”.
“One wonders how a so called former governor and serving Senator can issue a position on an issue of national importance to address socio-economic and National Security concerns in the manner in which he did.”
Strong Words
However, Senator Jang insists that; “for the federal government which owns no cattle, to connive with willing state governors to impose grazing reserve policy on hapless citizens who have suffered the brunt on rampaging herdsmen in the no distant past is not only an abuse of their rights but an assault on their already battered psyche. This must vehemently be resisted”.
Still, Lalong Pooh Pooh Jang
To Lalong it is preposterous for a man (Jonah Jang), who destroyed the very fabric of the people’s unity denominated in their peaceful co-existence, on account of his selfish egoistic desire to hold onto power tenaciously through the back door, to now want to claim a peace ambassadorial posture when it goes against the very grain of his person.
Unequivocally Lalong said he has stated that the issue of Grazing Reserve and Ranches are options that are entirely within the purview of the Customary Land Owners and Local Councils to volunteer for the benefits of their people, and has; “not at any point acquired compulsorily any land in any locality for the purpose of ceding to any ethnic group or faith, and it is public knowledge that this is incongruent to his person and people oriented leadership character”.
Lalong alleged that Senator Jang is no; “doubt reeling out his intrinsic consciousness, in which ethnicity and religion defines the human being and the basis for his consideration as a living being, adding that.
“This is the style of leadership that accounted for the Eight (8) years reign of terror and bloodshed that has traumatised the psyche of our people and to say the least have left more of his ethnic people displaced from their ancestral land, without a solution from him rather than the current remonstration and short sighted perception embedded in his unsolicited commentaries.”
According to Lalong, Jang is getting envious of the relative peace and reintegration of confidence building of the people in the being achieved in the state under his one year reign, emphasising that: “We dare to say, all these are in a bid to launder his image at a time the peace loving people of Plateau are working hard, to consign him into waste paper basket of our inglorious past, under his leadership.”
More knocks for Jang, Lalong said “Jang silence at a time like this, would have been most credible especially that he has not deemed it fit to attend any consultative meeting called by the state government since his disappearance to Abuja where superior contributions on the floor of the Senate have stolen his voice, and his representation is increasingly becoming a deficit to his constituents. This is very clear from the absence of his contribution when the grazing funds were appropriated into the budget by the National Assembly.”
“Jang is in full state of shame and is still in a state of post-election trauma where he has been left disillusioned and in a state of amnesia, forgetting the depth of penury, deprivation, division and indebtedness he left the State.
Furthered reminding Jang that the Lalong Administration is working her bones to salvage the people of Plateau from the untold hardship he has left them, with a liability of over N223bn, unpaid 8 months salary arrears, 13 months pension and gratuities and spurious irrevocable standing orders for over-inflated self-serving contracts that have remained uncompleted”.
“How laughable and hypocritical for a self-acclaimed demigod: “But for the likelihood of senility, which sets in on account of age in some persons, one would have wondered the hypocritical postures of Jang, calling on the people of Plateau to bear in his words the hardship meted out on them by the present government”.
Evidently, the planned ranches and grazing places by the state government has rekindled the cold war between Lalong and Jang, a power tussle that will continue to foul the poltics and peace of Plateau, until they sheat their swords.
