‘Jonathan should intervene in Tafawa Balewa LG crisis’

[Punch]

A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the bid by the Bauchi State House of Assembly to relocate the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.

Tafawa Balewa is the local government of Nigeria's first Prime Minister, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

The area has lately been engulfed in violence, resulting in deaths and destruction of property.

Dogara, a lawmaker from the state, alleged that the state Governor, Mr. Isa Yuguda, and the legislature were working together to accomplish the "unconstitutional" relocation of the council's headquarters.

According to him, the House of Assembly began the process of the relocation following a series of "violent ethno-religious" crises in Tafawa Balewa since January 27, 2011.

Dogara recalled that many lives had been lost while families had been displaced in the area.

He also expressed concern that rather than address the causes of the fighting by calling all the stakeholders to a discussion table, the state House of Assembly chose to relocate the local government headquarters to Bunumu.

Dogara, who is the Chairman, Committee on House Services, noted that the Assembly first attempted to relocate the headquarters through a bill, but later changed tactics when it realised its "folly."

The Punch