Jos Crisis: Plateau government denies sealing off Assembly complex

The Plateau State Government has denied using security operatives to seal off the State Assembly Complex on Monday morning.

It came hours after reports of security being beefed up around the complex, even though no reason was given for the deployment.

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Plateau information and communication commissioner Dan Manjang said the news being circulated on social media that the assembly was sealed was false and be discarded.

But the speaker of the House, Abok Nuhu Ayuba was quoted on Monday by some online media that the house was sealed.

Manjang said, “The attention of the Plateau State Government has been drawn to allegations made by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba who appeared on Channels TV programme on Monday 30th August claiming that the Assembly Complex has been sealed.

“This false allegation has further been circulated on social media associating the Executive arm of Government and the Governor as being behind it. We wish to make it abundantly clear that the Executive arm of Government and the Governor is not aware or behind the purported sealing of the House as it does not dabble into the affairs of another independent arm of Government.

“It is on record that His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako was the first Governor to implement full Autonomy for the legislature and Judiciary as well as Local Government in the country. It is therefore not possible for him to be associated with any action that will impede on the activities longest-serving has its rules and conventions, ” he added.

According to the commissioner, the Governor remained the longest-serving Speaker of the House in the history of democracy in Plateau State, understood the workings of the House, and had demonstrated uncommon respect to the leadership and members of the Assembly.

The commissioner further stressed that “To the best of our knowledge, the House of Assembly remains open for legislative business. The good people of Plateau State and members of the public are advised to ignore the allegation and refrain from dragging the Executive arm of Government and the Governor into the affairs of the House.

“Those who have any concerns should channel them to the security agencies and desist from peddling falsehood against the Executive arm of Government and His Excellency the Governor, ” added.