Physically-challenged people protest in Plateau

Members of the Disability Rights Commission, in Plateau have been polarised over the nomination of Mr. James Lalu as the chairman of the Commission by the Plateau State Government.

People with disability in their hundreds stormed Plateau State House of Assembly on Tuesday to prevailing on the House to put on hold the screening of Lalu as chairman of the Commission while those loyal to him also staged a protest at the Assembly to register their support for the nominee thus throwing the assembly complex into confusion.

Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that the prompt intervention of the Speaker of the House Honourable Peter Azi and the law enforcement agents prevented the protests from the two camps from degenerating to violence as the pros and against were poised for showdown.

The leader of those against Lalu nomination, Mr Saith Attah, told the Speaker and other members of the House who received them not to screen the nominee pending the determination of the suit filed against him at the Magistrate Court at Murtala Mohammed way Jos, Plateau State.

Mr. Attah said if eventually cleared by the State House of Assembly, there would be division and disaffection among the people with disability in the state since a suit had been instituted against him which bordered on integrity and called on the Assembly to exercise restraint and wait for the determination of the suit.

In his address, leader of those in support of Lalu, Mallam Abdullahi Mohammed Abdul, urged the Assembly to go ahead with the screening and discard the petition by Attah group adding that his nomination by the state government passed through normal procedure.

“There is no error in his nomination, we are  all in support of his nomination, it is an act of God, he is tested and found to be competent. Those against him simply want things done in their ways. I am therefore on behalf of my members appealing to the State Assembly  to go ahead and screen Lalu as scheduled” he said.

Responding, the Speaker of the House, Honourable Peter Azi, said both the House and government of the day in Plateau State were law abiding and promised them that the House would abide by the outcome of the suit and urged them to remain calm and go about their lawful businesses.

It will recalled that a petition letter dated 6th February 2017 had been  sent  to the speaker of the Plateau state house of Assembly Peter Azi, when some members got wind that Lalu’s name had been submitted as Chairman, Disability Rights Commission and urged the House to put the screening  on hold still the determination of a criminal court case against him.