APC chieftain advises commissioner to respect party decision

A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, Mr Bala John, has advised Alhaji Salihu Alizaga, the state Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, to respect the decision of the party’s structure in the upcoming council election in the state. John gave the advice on Wednesday while speaking with newsmen in Wakama, Nassarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state.

The APC chieftain said that respecting the party’s structure by the commissioner and his group would not only promote peace but would also take the party to greater height in the area and the state at large. He said that his advice came on the heels of a meeting called by Alizaga on July 18 in Nassarawa Eggon after the leadership of the party earlier called for stakeholders meeting on July 17, in same Nassarawa Eggon. John said that the party leadership has zoned the chairmanship seat to Nassarawa Eggon East, while advising the commissioner and his group to abide by the party’s decision in the interest of peace.

“Let the commissioner respect the party as anything that they have discussed during their meeting amounted to nothing as the party is supreme“. I strongly feel that Hon. Alizaga, who called another meeting after a meeting that was earlier called by the party in Nassarawa Eggon local government area should respect the party structure. “When the party called for the meeting, he told us that the meeting’s invitation was extended to everybody including government appointees“. And in this meeting, Distinguished Senator Godiya Akwashiki, Alhaji Mohammed Aggah, member representing Nassarawa Eggon East constituency and chairmanship aspirants among crticial stakeholders were present.

“Why should the commissioner called another meeting? The constitution has made it clear that the party is supreme; he and his group should respect the party in the interest of peace and for the overall development of the party“. So I advise the commissioner and others who attended his meeting to think twice in order not to create problem to the party. If they have grievances, they should channel it through the right channel in the interest of the party,” he said. John also gave reasons why the Akun and Agidi developmemt areas stakeholders and party executive members zoned the chairmanship seat to Nassarawa Eggon East for a second term.

“In the meeting called by the party, we (stakeholders), including party executive members, have endorsed the former council boss, Alhaji Mohammed Danlami Idris (Odasco), for second term in office“. This followed agreement reached by stakeholders from Nassarawa Eggon East and Nassarawa Eggon West, respectively.“Re-electing Danlami Idris, who is from Eggon East for a second term will provide an opportunity for power shift to Eggon West after the expiration of his six years in office,” he said. The APC chieftain called on party stakeholders to work in unity for the progress and development of the party and for the overall development of the state. Dr Salihu Alizaga, the commissioner and other stakeholders while speaking at a meeting he called on July 18, in Nassarawa Eggon zoned the chairmanship seat to Nassarawa Eggon West as against the decision of the party leadership. Stakeholders in the meeting also described zoning as the best approach of arriving at a concensus as it would minimise the array of contestants that would have made resolution more difficult and time wasting.