The Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) has suspended its plenary for the week, allowing members to return to their constituencies to dissuade residents from participating in the planned 10-day nationwide protest starting August 1.
This decision, aimed at maintaining peace and promoting national development, was announced by the Speaker, Danladi Jatau following a motion sponsored by Mohammed Garba Isimbabi, the member representing Gadabuke/Toto Constituency, during Monday’s plenary in Lafia, the state capital.
Jatau stated the importance of dialogue and peaceful resolution to address the nation’s challenges.
“Protest is not the solution to the challenges facing the nation. There is a need for dialogue and peaceful resolution on the challenges facing the country,” he stated.
The Speaker urged his colleagues to engage with their constituents to discourage them from joining the protest, pointing out the necessity of peace for the development of Nasarawa State and Nigeria as a whole.
He also appealed to the organizers of the protest to reconsider their plans for the sake of national peace and development.
Jatau praised the contributions of his fellow members and commended President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abdullahi Sule for their efforts in mitigating the impacts of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.
Various lawmakers, including Peter Akwe, Onarigu Kana, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, Solomon Akwashiki, Larry Ven-Bawa, Esson Mairiga, Hudu A Hudu, John Ovey, Daniel Ogah Ogazi, Ajegana Kudu, and Luka Zhekaba, expressed unanimous support for the initiative.
They stressed that the protest could cause more harm than good and called on the government to create jobs and empower citizens to foster societal development.
Mohammed Garba Isimbabi, while presenting the motion, urged the people of Nasarawa State to abstain from the nationwide protest against bad governance.
Isimbabi pointed out that although the constitution permits peaceful protest, there was the potential for such actions to be hijacked by hoodlums.
“Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members, I brought this issue of concern to the nation, to the state, and to our various constituencies, that is the planned nationwide August 1 protest.
“As we are all aware, in the past, protests were always hijacked by hoodlums and sponsored by those who did not wish the government well,” he explained.
He called on stakeholders, political and religious leaders to dissuade their communities from participating in the protest.
He noted that Governor Sule has been in discussions with major stakeholders in the state concerning the protest, stating the need for the legislature, as an institution close to the people, to engage with their constituents on the matter.
