From Francis Nansak,Lafia
As Nasarawa state turns 20 years since creation 1996, the hope of some of the citizens , especially farmers and retirees, have been rekindled as such hope as envisaged by them is coming from the administration of the incumbent governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, as they hinged their various reasons because of the relative peace in the state and the recent payment of gratuities to pensioners.
Princess Florence Ayih, backed Governor Abdullahi Sule’s determination on ensuring peace among citizens of the state,saying a good leader is one that takes seriously peaceful coexistence of his people in every community.
Princess Florence is the daughter of the late Paramount ruler of Kokona, Dr Slyvester Oho Ayih and a onetime special assistant to the immediate past governor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
According to her, the world is not hundred percent at peace, due to how people have segmented it on religion, regional and tribal bases, she calls on every government to be focused in achieving peace at all levels.
Florence, however added that Governor Abdullahi has demonstrated a greater level of commitment in bringing peace among the various tribes in Nasarawa state.
She said, “It is becoming clearer on each passing day that Governor Sule is cementing the broken relationship that existed among the people of the state.
“If in just a year now, since he became governor and we are enjoying this level of peace, goes to speak well of him that in the years ahead of the administration, he will do more. So I am in support of his zeal towards achieving sustaining peace in our state.”
Inuwa Mohammed, who simply said he did not fall in any of the categories of those that have direct benefit from the government. He however said when a civil servant gets his monthly take home package he gets some relief ,just as the farmer who without fear goes into his farm and returned home without the fear of being harassed or hack.
He added that a government that meant well for it citizenry is not all about the skyscrapers built around but the peace and safety of the people is what matters.
“With the buildings, are the people really at peace to enjoy the beautiful structures? That is what if a government has not achieved, should consider itself as a failure”
“So for me, Governor Sule has started well, which was never the case ,from my records ,spanning over 12 years. Then, if not a crisis at Toto, it is in Nasarawa, Nasarawa Eggon or in parts of Lafia hinterlands, or the recent and most damaging that engulfed Keana, Obi ,Awe, leaving scores of farmers and the herders too dead, caused by grazing and rustling of cows belonging to the farmers as alleged,” he said.
But according to him, since the coming on board of Governor A.A Sule’, not much of such was heard instead, plans and talks on how to settle those known for clashing among themselves, adding that “ it is a very good start that the governor needs to forged on with to enable the actualisation of his goals of industrializing the state as he earlier promised.”
Also pointing at the gains of attaining 24 years as a state, Mr Peter Igbacher, who said he recently defected from the PDP to APC, said it was on the premise of Governor Sule’s tenacity to lead a peaceful citizens, where there is mutual understanding among the diverse ethnics, that has remained his agenda, he added that both pensioners and farmers are happy with the new government.
Honourable Peter Igbacher who boasted of being a Tiv man from the state, however averred that it has not been so good during the raining season, but today his Tiv brothers have returned to their farm lands, without fear of invasion as what was in the years past.
“It is evidently clear to most of us today that the government in power is concern about the peaceful and harmonious coexistence of all residents of Nasarawa state.
“Which is a pointer to the fact that at our 24th anniversary and under Engineer Sule’,who providence made him to be the 4th elected governor in the state, the drums of wars and mass exodus of rural dwellers from their homes to the urban areas as a result of attackers and killers who were hardly identified are over.
“You will agree with me that in just one year of the governor, the reverse is the order of the day, where in the past retirees were left at the mercies of God for survival. But today ,the government of the day has started clearing not just pensions but gratuities, by releasing about N300million last month for payment of outstanding owe the pensioners in the state.
” So at 24, Nasarawa is on the right track with the right governor who cares, feels and knows what it means to institute peace for development to thrive, and all the civil servants in the state are all happy,” Igbacher posited.
